Contest Sponsorship

[mbroberg]

Curtis has suggested that the name of the sponsoring vendors should not be right up front in the contest titles. He suggested maintaining the same name for a contest each year and the sponsoring vendor by noted but less conspicuous. Instead of "The Wonderful Pen Vendor Fun Contest" It would be "The Fun Contest - sponsored by the Wonderful Pen Vendor". Or the sponsoring vendor could be credited beneath the contest name in smaller font.

I don't have a strong opinion on this. Barring any other input I would probably go with "The Fun Contest - sponsored by the Wonderful Pen Vendor". That way the contest name stays the same year to year and the vendor is secondary to the contest but still gets exposure.

Does anyone have any opinions?

 

[mredburn]

Sounds good to me.

 

[mbroberg]

Sponsorship Announcement

Here is what I intend to post announcing sponsorship opportunities. Two of the contests are alread taken by virtue of Andrew's announcement. I went ahead and left the Almost Daily Puzzler Contest off the list as requested by Curtis.

If anyone sees any errors or has any concerns please let me know ASAP.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I MUCH Prefer the second option - sponsored by X....

I really think that's much less blatant.

 

[ed4copies]

I don't think it matters.

As long as the sponsor name is in the "headline", there should certainly NOT be any complaints.

However, remember I get results from my IAP ads, too (many complain that they don't) ----so I am not necessarily speaking for all the potential advertisers.

No matter how we handle it, there may be Some who complain.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

I think the contest sponsored by x sounds better.

 

[jeff]

Mike, I like the approach outlined in your document.

Did we establish maximum prize value per vendor?

 

[mbroberg]

I think we did. I'll go back through my notes and try to find it. Do you have ant amount in mind?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[jeff]

I think we did. I'll go back through my notes and try to find it. Do you have ant amount in mind?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Just to clarify my rationale... Since IAP will make good on any prizes not delivered as promised, I want to limit our exposure. At the same time, I want our members to enjoy as much generosity from vendors and individuals as is offered.

A second reason is that I don't want the prize values to be so lopsided as to make people who give smaller prizes feel like they did not do enough.

A third reason is that I don't want a large prize donator to feel that his high value prize entitles him to own the bash. A couple years ago a vendor offered $2000 in prizes but made it clear he expected to be able to say anything he wanted during the event to promote his products. He was straightened out and declined to participate.

I think we did discuss some numbers, but it slips my mind what we decided. Does a limit per vendor or person of $1000 sound reasonable?

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I think we did. I'll go back through my notes and try to find it. Do you have ant amount in mind?

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Just to clarify my rationale... Since IAP will make good on any prizes not delivered as promised, I want to limit our exposure. At the same time, I want our members to enjoy as much generosity from vendors and individuals as is offered.

A second reason is that I don't want the prize values to be so lopsided as to make people who give smaller prizes feel like they did not do enough.

A third reason is that I don't want a large prize donator to feel that his high value prize entitles him to own the bash. A couple years ago a vendor offered $2000 in prizes but made it clear he expected to be able to say anything he wanted during the event to promote his products. He was straightened out and declined to participate.

I think we did discuss some numbers, but it slips my mind what we decided. Does a limit per vendor or person of $1000 sound reasonable?

Instead of limiting vendor donations by $ (not that this will be an issue this year), could we instead add the caveat that any donations in excess of a certain prize value or number of prizes MUST be mailed to Jeff in advance, for distribution? That would also limit potential damages, while still offering maximum prizes...

 

[mredburn]

Other than Vendor "A" who tried to buy the bash and was a problem with "follow through" in prior years, have there been many vendors that fail to preform after the bash? You might consider a maximum value as well as a minimum for the contests and a maximum aggregate total if a vendor wanted to not only sponsor a contest but contribute to the general prizes as well.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

We've had many 'long term' contacts - i.e. still trying to arrange delivery in April and May - but you'd have to ask Ed exactly which vendors those were, as his team was in charge of delivery...but for the most part, prizes have been delivered as promised.

I think Ed has filled in some 'shortages' in the past, though - but only one person on my list has an asterisk next to it in terms of 'difficult to get to follow-through'.