Are you kidding me?
Fotolia announced a competition over two months ago called "Unleashing your Creativity" with the understanding that "The winning designer will receive an approximate retail value (“ARV”) of $5000 (USD) in cash and prizes. In addition the winning design will be used in Fotolia’s global advertising campaigns."
Entrants had to submit designs from March 14, 2008 to May 9, 2008 12:01 AM EST. According to Fibtolia, "The Winner will be announced May 20, 2008 at the How Design Conference in Boston, MA." Then inexplicably, Fibtolia, over two months after the first announcement of the competition and two weeks after the winner should have been awarded the prize or an answer, they announce on June 4th, there weren't enough entries so no one got any money.
Well... that never happened.
"We regret to inform our fellow Fotolians that the Unleash Your Creativity Contest did not receive enough eligible submissions to judge and award a winner. We appreciate the efforts of our sponsor and those that did submit an entry. It is our hope to run another contest in the future with increased participation."
Boring and sleazy. So Fibtolia gets a bunch of new signs ups, sells content to people who contributed to the contest (good for contributors who sold content to those who used it in the contest) and gets a bunch of new content uploaded to the site and ideas for it's global advertising campaign. We ask them. Did you even get one submission?
I normally would never write poorly about another site but this example goes to the heart of what we don't want to create with Cutcaster.
We want to build and nurture an open and fair dialogue and environment for all members.
We want to do what we say we will.
We will always treat people the way we would want to be treated if we were members on their site.
We want to keep our word to our members.
These are truths and things we swear by at Cutcaster. Open and fair.
I say, even if there was only one entry that person should win by default. I am surprised I hadn't heard more about it or there wasn't an uproar. Did I miss the shouting? That will never happen here at Cutcaster and there would have been an "Unleashing" of a prize or a much bigger explanation as to what happened. 3 sentences isn't fair.
I say, Unleash the cash and keep your word or it's time to add another check against Fibtolia.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Unleash The Prize Fibtolia - The Unpaid Contest
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Cutcaster
Do you remember your first sale? We do!!!
It's not really surprising that they wouldn't get any or very many entries with all their rules of only using certain no-name software and paying for their pic's. Their terms and conditions were endless in expressing how they may not pay because of this or that. I also wasn't able to find anywhere that there had to be a minimum number of entries. As for not seeing anyone complaining of the forums....the forum topics have a tendancy to 'disappear' when there is something they don't like on there.
ReplyDeleteIt's is extremely dishonest for them to announce such a prize and then never give it (unless of course no one entered, which they should have posted if that was the case). I would be surprised if anyone would bother entering in their future contests again, especially the designers that might have entered this one to no avail.
thecarlinco
I completely agree with both of you.
ReplyDeleteJohn, the policies and practices of open and fair exhibited at Cutcaster are just one of the many reasons I like the site.
Marburg
Hey John -
ReplyDeleteMy gut feeling is that instead of complaining, those who entered have just probably moved on to other ms sites - and I applaud them. Fotolia did a major no-no, and I think it's great that you've brought it to light.
:) b
I think they should follow all the rules and regulations,if they want to survive in the business.
ReplyDeleteThat stinks
ReplyDeleteDNF-Style