The rules for the 2010 Memory Makers Masters Contest have been announced, and they are a huge departure from previous years.
Submissions to this year’s contest will only be accepted online, and there will be a $10 entry fee – both a first for the contest. Contest entries are to consist of only 4 layouts. One is to be a layout created from the theme of “My Life”, and the other three are open choice, to represent the best work of the entrant. The deadline for entries is August 22nd.
In contrast to previous years, which required the submission of never-before-seen layouts, 3 of this year’s layouts (all of them except the My Life themed one) may be previously published work.
But the biggest change of all is in how the contest’s winners will be determined. 20 finalists will be chosen by the Memory Makers judges. The “My Life” layouts of the 20 finalists will then be publicly posted for a round of blind web voting by the public, to determine the 10 winners. Online voting will take place Sept. 9th-20th, and the winners will be announced before Sept. 25th.
Response from potential entrants to the rules changes has definitely been mixed, as can be seen in the Pub on Two Peas In A Bucket. The online entry procedure and entry fee are generally being accepted well, and sentiment is definitely positive about being able to enter without having to send an example layout that will not be returned (as was the case in previous years). However, there seems to be a lot of hesitation and concern about the new online public voting part of the judging.
Generally, concern is that the voting process will devolve into a popularity contest, despite Memory Makers’ promise that there will be rules for the finalists to keep the process blind and prevent it becoming a popularity contest. The concerns of most potential entrants seems to be that because the “My Life” layouts are the ones that are going to be posted for judging, it will be easy to tell who the finalists are, and that it will be impossible to prevent finalists from spreading the word via email requesting that people vote for them. Some people are already indicating that the fact that they feel they could never win the “popularity contest” of online voting will keep them from entering.
Is it impossible to keep public voting from being nothing but a popularity contest? Let’s just consider for a moment that Steve Wozniak has lasted this long on Dancing With The Stars, and leave it at that.
Of course, maybe a popularity contest wouldn’t be so bad for Memory Makers…they’d find out which of their finalists have the biggest fan base, and are the most marketable.
About Nancy Nally
Oh so cynical for one so young… The thought crossed my mind as well, and I’m never wrong. Ahem.
You can’t please all the people all the time, but F&W may have designed a contest that satisfies almost everyone. Emphasis should be placed on the 20 finalists, since they will be the entrants that F&W considers Masters-caliber, and that is an honor in itself.
Actually you end up voting for the person with the most popular blog, that is, the blog with the most giveaways…..it’s politics in a different form. And are they more marketable as a result? Well, they are more well known. Of course, there is real talent out there. But what is the best way of finding it?
I’m wondering if those with the “biggest fan base” would necessarily be the most marketable? Something to ponder at least.
Biggest fan base, or most able to beat the system?? Both are an option… There are ways to generate votes via software, etc… Most systems can be beat…
And has there been anything saying they can’t reveal themselves via their blogs, etc.? I assume so, but there are ways around all of this, I am sure.
And come ON, anyone popular in publication, we can tell their work from a mile away… Jen J’s distinct style and outlined letters, Emilie and her red headed kids… blind-I don’t think it possible.
But whether by internet vote or industry vote, there is no guarantee that it would ever be without bias… it is the chance we take in contests…