Competition Lost in Campaigning

Break out the popcorn people, this could get interesting…

Why are you here?

Not a general why are you here on this earth or why are you alive type question but why are you here on this website, The Autolog?

This site is supposed to be a place for auto enthusiasts to come, hang out, meet other car people, and show off their rides. How many of you out there can honestly say that is how the site is run? How many others can say that it might have started out that way but now is turning into something to rival the drama and juvenile behavior of Myspace?

In my humble opinion (take it or leave it), I believe one of the major reasons behind all the fuss is the competitions. I have to say this first though, I have no problem with competition, in fact, I am very competitive and welcome most any competition. HOWEVER, a good competition has rules to keep it fair and an even better competition (pertaining to the types of online competitions we are currently involved in) has rules and parameters on voting and campaigning. A few simple rules would make a world of difference. When campaigning you can only post one campaign bulletin asking for votes every 24-36 hours. I think that would be great. Comments and messaging are free game I suppose, every person messaged has the right to reject or block the comment/message. Excessive campaign tactics should not be allowed either but it is difficult to define excessive in some points. Beyond being fair, I don’t think it is right to exploit something/someone just to get yourself votes. Don’t go for the sympathy vote, don’t create all these crazy glittery stupid graphics/pictures just to get votes (before you say it, yes, I know I made one too but that’s just it, it was only ONE), don’t drag your beliefs or opinions into the competition, that is now how you’re going to get a vote from me. Fine you have beliefs and opinions but don’t post them all over your campaign in hopes picking up a few extra votes; your beliefs/opinions are only getting hurt in being used that way. Save the beliefs and opinions for a political campaign. Voting…. While we can’t tell people who they can and can’t vote for or how to vote, I believe that for things like Profile of the Month/Year you should be able to retract your vote. If you vote the first day and later regret your choice for whatever reason, you should be able to retract your vote. This wouldn’t give you the chance to vote for someone else, merely have that 2nd option of not voting back.

More important than the rules themselves, they should be enforced. Someone in the competition breaks the rules of campaigning they are out of the competition.

Challenges, profile of the month, everything is starting to resemble more of a high school popularity contest forcing us true gearheads who care more about our cars than ourselves to cringe each time we see a bulletin exclaiming “vote for me” or “I’m losing and I’m so sad, it’s not fair!” Come on people, get a life! First off, you have the right to deny any challenges, don’t accept one you know you will lose if you are that worried about it. Second, if your standing in an online car competition is that important you really have some issues; get your butt out from in front of the computer and go drive your car! The true purpose and meaning of the site is getting lost in all the “look at me” bullshit and frankly it is rather discouraging to those of us more interested in meeting cool car people and seeing awesome cars. Not a problem for me beside the fact that I would like to see this site continue and be successful for what it was originally created for. Beyond that, I am perfectly content deleting my profile once I reach a point of disgust in which I could care less anymore. I have a life and a car and I certainly care more about working on it or driving it then I do about sitting here watching a bunch of silly people ruin a great site for those who enjoy it for what it is.

On the topic of profile of the month… I am thoroughly disappointed in how the voting basis has begun to work out. The competition is supposed to be about the cars, not about how many bulletins, messages, or comments you can send out begging for votes. How a 4cyl Mazda, mostly stock V8 Mustang, and a slightly modified V6 Mustang beat out a 500hp heavily tracked Cobra Mustang, extremely modified GLI R32T, 700hp ’57 Chevy Wagon, 355hp classic ’50 Chevy truck, and a few other really nice cars must be beyond my comprehension because I see it as stupid. The difference in the cars that took the top 3 and all the other great cars I listed is that all the other cars didn’t whore themselves out for votes or use other tactics to get votes. Yes, I will certainly be the first to admit it, one of the main reasons I got 2nd place is because I have boobs….. and I did ask for a few votes. Had the competition been true to it’s meaning, I would have had a slim change at making the top 15 much less the top 3. Popularity should not be a factor unless determining between a handful of very well deserving cars such as the ones I listed. Where in any other auto competition would my car have stood a snowball’s chance against a 500hp Mustang or a 700hp Wagon? Come on people, use your brains on this one.

Apparently it was too much to hope for a bunch of car enthusiasts to make the CARS the basis of their voting and not the popularity, attractiveness, beliefs, or sob story of the owner.

Maybe I should wait for my 2nd place plaque in the mail, drive the 100miles down to Phoenix, and present it to a more deserved car from the competition. A dedication of such a well fought after award to a much more deserving car and owner would be the perfect ending to such a misinterpreted Profile of the Month Competition (we’ll just tape over the name and pencil in him and his car).

As I have to wait 4-6 weeks for my prized possession to arrive and he wouldn’t accept it anyway, I am officially dedicating my 2nd place December 2007 Profile of the Month title to a friend who has helped me a lot with my car and supported me with everything (and has a MUCH better car than I do), Tony “azsonicsnake” and his 500hp, 11.1s 2003 Terminator Cobra.

As for the rest of you…. If you find yourself deleted from my friends in the future it will most likely be because I am tired of your stupid “vote for me” bulletins getting in the way of things that I actually WANT to read. I am not sorry for deleting you, if you have input on your deletion feel free to message your complaint to my inbox and I will be sure to read it and delete it if I don’t find it worth a response.

In all of this, I think the true purpose and meaning of the site is being lost, that being the cars. Who cares how popular you are on a stupid web community, honestly, it’s not something to write home about. “Hey guys guess what, I’m on this website and EVERYONE loves me!” Never mind the fact that the title of the site is The AUTOLOG….. CARS…. IT’S ABOUT THE FREAKIN CARS PEOPLE!

Wonderful rant Jen, I have to totally agree with U on all points...

It's good to have people say this, 'cause yes this is a car site and lets not lose focus on that. Since I don't have a ton of friends on this site I may be missing something but I think I have been able to put it together. It seems like some people have the whole site as their friend and then they have problems with all these things. I just keep my friend's list tight and therefore I only receive bulletin comments and stuff from people that I know. So, basically I never get annoying bulletins or whatever that I hear people talk about every once and a while.

I'm not a big fan of campaigning and it doesn't really effect my vote. For challenges I vote for which vehicle I think should get my vote based on the title of the challenge. That's it, doesn't matter who you are, one could be the biggest jerk against the nicest person and I'd still vote for the jerk if I thought their car was the better based on the challenge. Like you say Stangchick - it's about the car!

But I have to respectfully disagree on the Profile of the Month thing. I feel the Profile of the Month has always been about how well you display your vehicle on your profile. At least that's why I think it's called that and not Car of the Month. But like you say, I mean you can't force someone to vote a certain way...

But at least you now know how one person feels about voting on this site and that no amount of bulletins, blogs or forum posts will sway me.

Good luck!!! Don't give away your award, I think you deserved it.

Wow, where to start. I agree with alot and disagree with alot.

Any online site like this, Carster, streetfriendz, they all turn into Popularity contests no matter how you slice it.

Presidents go out and ask for votes, is this really any different.

I dont know about everyone else but when i'm at a car show I am promoting my car in a way. I also talk to everyone and invite them to check out my car. I do the same for them as well.

We are encouraged here to contact our friends for votes, so I do not see anyone breaking any current rules.

Like you said nobody has to read the message and you can block members if needed.

Before you even posted this blog I posted a Bulletin about Tony and his mustang, I believe he deserses a shot at Profile of the year just like you do.

I could go on forever but I wont.

You make some very valid points, and I hope we remain friends.

i COMPLETELY agree with you. I've actually got into it with a couple people because of their ignorant rants on the bulletins. And i have to brag on myself that i have NEVER asked for a vote aside someone asking me to trade. I've posted a few bulletins myself but never seem to get any views or responses. Mostly because of all the shit cluttering up the bulletin post. Bulletins are for important news and questions. Nothin else. As for the "vote for the car you like more" scenario, i always do except for two people who have royally pissed me off which i mentioned above. In my opinion, the driver can make or break a car. The car can be super nice but if the owner is a complete fuck head, then the car is shit to me because of this. I'm beginning to rant on so I will end by saying that I'm glad to see that someone else isn't afraid to say things like this. Love the stang ;P

You GO Jenn!!! I agree, I love the fact that we can express our views and thuoghts here. But what I love the most is the honesty. Damn Jenn you nailed it on the head. I have been disappointed in some aspects too. Its like if you dont spend every waking spare moment at the computer putting in your campange you have no choice in winning anything. I have a fully built completely custom 2005 wrx sti. I put great time and extensive effort in making sure I had a one of a kind. for the most part I do. I have parts on my car that are the only ones in the world... or just the USA. But none of this is taken in consideration. But its all good. I built my car for me and I will share my progress and my builds with you all. But no offence. This is one thing that is all about me. I build my cars for me. I dont care what people say or think. Dont get me wrong I love the encouragement, and praises. But how you going to tell me I dont rank with a Viper. I have over 110k in my STi over 600hp. one of a kind body...(only one in the world) I own and have built and exotic. May not fall under your defanition of one. But it is... I garuntee you wont find another STi like mine. But I am completely off track. I agree 150% Jenn. Screw the high school bullcrap, the popularity contests. Make this site what it was meant to be. About the CARS people. Well I said what I have to say. L8R

I have a few more things to say.

Honestly If no one askes for votes and they do not send you messages or bulletins are you really going to take the time and look through 3500 = profiles to see whats new with everyone. Even your friends on here, do you view every profile every day ? well do you. If we dont use bulletins, messages and comments on pages you may forget we are even on this site.

I am always looking at Bulletins, read all my messages and I do go to each members page when asked to look. I already have over 800 members on my friends list, I cant look at every page to see whats going on so I click on a few differet things whick do include
- Who's online
-Recently updated
- those who leave bulletins
- those who post bulletins
- those that ask for help

Anyway If you really break it down about Profile of the Year and Month, yes It should be about the Cars, but your profile is like a resume, no one will know what you have done or acomplished unless you fill your page with Pics, vids and a list of mods and a few stories. We are all self promoting our cars is some way.

Very good points are made. I was actually on this site to just after it started, there were no challenges or sweet 16. Although I do some challenges I look at is as all in good fun I don't mind losing at all.

Neither of my cars has been voted for anything in the sweet 16 or profile of the month or day as of yet, and they may be on down the road. The one thing you have to realize is there are 100 other car sites out there that are exactly the same way, there is drama on car forums all the time. You just have to take it how it is, it won't change. People will get banned all the time cause they love the drama and thats all they have. I realized this a long time ago, my Vette is on many forums and sites on the web and I have had some negative comments thrown at me that people don't beleive I own the vehicle or I'm rich, which by the way I am not!!

You just have to roll with it and not take anything personal if your a true car person!! I luv all vehicles and respect any car or truck or bike owner who keeps their vehicles clean and overall well taken care of.

As an additional guilty party (Yeah, I know I have posted a few too):

-I'm of mixed opinions on the subject. Like you, I would like for the focus to remain on the cars themselves, and not on the popularity of the individual.

-While I don't particularly enjoy being bombarded by "Vote for me" bulletins, I don't become all that annoyed until they get whiny, & are nothing more than basic complaining. I hate listening to people complain. I like for the material that I read to at least have a constructive goal about it.

-Like you, I hate seeing people who are willing to "campaign whore" themselves rise to the top, while other people with truly amazing rides are silently slidding to the rear. This seems to be happening more and more all the time of late.

-On voting (POM & POY), I don't know what the best idea is here. At least beyond reminding people aka "the voters" about what the goal of the competition really is. The fact is, regardless of what we do to refine the system, people are going to vote for their friends. I know, many of us are capable of keeping it about the cars, but we unfortunately we still make a up a very small portion of the entire community. Like Eddie though, I am believe the actual competitions is about the profile, and less so the car. Otherwise we would just see Vipers & Lamborghinis dominate the site, while people with insanely cool cars/profiles that are just less know would never stand a chance of competing.

-(I may be drifting a little here but pardon me as its a point that has been bothering me, & I have seen the occasional remark thrown around the site) I don't understand what it is about all the people who hate members with large friend lists. Sure, I currently have 1,378 vehicle friends, but that has nothing to do with whoring myself out, or running for most popular profile. For people like me, I am just interested in what things people are posting & talking about, not to mention it is HELLA annoying when I want to make a comment on a profile or picture that I find very fascinating, only to find that I have to send them a friend request first, then wait until they get online to accept my request, & THEN I can return & try to remember what my original train of thought was... lol Call me A.D.D. if you like, but I'm just not that focused. Especially when the whole point is to socialize and network with other gearheads in what is supposed to be my down-time. If anyone reading this wants to de-friend me, go ahead. Its not like having other friends stops me from finding your profile interesting in the least, it just helps to bring more of what is going on to me where I can access it without having to do so much work all the time. Honestly, it is my opinion that when a profile is created, it should automatically be on EVERY members friends list, as this would greatly reduce the amount of work we have to go to to hunt down other profile we are interested in. I would prefer to have to manually remove profiles I don't find interesting than to potentially miss out on a great addition to the sites members simply because I had never happened to run across them on the site...... Anyways, that started as a small blurb but kept running on, so sorry about that. Maybe I'll revise it and try my hand at an actual blog.....

-(Back on topic again) I get really annoyed with people that spam me, & than further waste my time telling me how sorry they are that they spammed me & that I don't have to read any further.... Its like, "Yeah, I ALREADY KNOW I DON'T HAVE TO READ". If your going to spam me, grow some balls, say what you will and get it over with. If I don't like it, I'm well aware that I can delete you. It only takes a few clicks to prevent you from ever spamming me again.

Hmm that all really did start out as a coherent thought.... I kind of drifted there I guess..... lol I'll get some sleep, & then...... "I'll be back..." ha ha ha

thought you know i agree, i could could not accept something that i did not rightfully win. i appreciate it though. its awesome that you would think of me in that way. i was just shown what the auto log is about. and honestly, i still enjoy it, but frankly i know its not about the badest cars out there. i do admit its cool that cars that might not have quite the mod list like some may have can still win, but then again, some people have poured thier heart soul and debt and dedication into thier cars, and are just not willing to play the high school game and try to win it. i will most definetly admit i did message people, but mainly only people with a like car to mine, meaning the mustang folks. all in all its all in good fun. its just sometimes things get a little askew.

hmmm i agree to a point, when you offer a website that allows anyone, and or anything to join and activly participate it leaves a huge margin open in the balance.

here some facts for the faint of brain.

1) Tuners and Ricers will never get along

2) the Domestic Vs. Import will never die.

3) some girls are accepted becuase they have boobs, not becuase they earn the respect and or have any clue what the scene is about.

those being said, i dont like the juvenile behaviour i see, but i know alot of people who refuse to join this forum simply becuase they dont want to be judged by people who have no clue.
(theres a few)However for the people i do like and think are a great contribution to this site, i stay and ill still tell others to join. theres always a few roses in a thorn bush.

Well said by all of you, I am definately pleased that so many are reading this blog as it is important for me to get certain points across to this community that I think should be taken both with a grain of salt and a level of seriousness in which I hope spurs great thought into how you act and respond to everything and everyone on this site.

I deeply appreciate all the comments and feedback I have gotten on the subject by all of you and would like to thank those of you who took the time to read it and go the extra step to comment.

Hope all of you see my points and don't take personal offense to things stated.

-Jen

Wow! It looks like if you aren't willing to whore yourself out, then you don't stand a chance in POTY.... We're getting killed by a bunch of 'normies' lol

ahhh! I'm torn. I don't want to post any pathetic 'Vote for me" things anywhere but right on my own profile, but I don't want to lose either... arghh Every person I have seen post one of those has suddenly jumped like 10 positions though... lol

ahh....... i can feel the tension in this blog. Fun huh? This is why we need a flame forum. Oh and Tekwatch, If you aren't able to look up on your friends' profiles, stop adding everyone you can! Then again, this is a popularity contest.

sorry Jenn for writing a name but I had to say it. I"m sorry.