OUTLANDER and online clicking contests
The latest OUTLANDER voting frenzy (the RadioTimes "SciFi Champion" contest) reached new heights of absurdity in recent days, with a round pitting Sam Heughan against Caitriona Balfe (!)
Asking fans to choose between Sam and Caitriona is sort of like asking which of your children is your favorite, and it just seems like a waste of time and effort to me. (For what it's worth, it appears Sam won that round.)
I can think of several reasons why these contests keep popping up:
1) It's good publicity for the show and the actors.
2) They help keep up the fans' interest and excitement during #Droughtlander.
3) They might help STARZ attract more subscribers.
4) They generate massive numbers of clicks (and presumably advertising revenue) for the sponsoring site.
I'm cynical enough to think that the last reason outweighs all the others, but I could be wrong.
Some of you may remember Audible's 2012 Tournament of Audiobooks, where FIERY CROSS made it to the final round, but then it turned into such a frenzy of clicking (on both sides) that Diana Gabaldon very graciously conceded the race, rather than have her fans waste hours and hours of their time in a futile effort to catch up.
Do you participate in these OUTLANDER-related online contests, like the Radio Times contest or the Ewwys? If not, why not? If a contest allows unlimited repeat voting, how many times do you personally vote? (Just once, or a handful of times, or hundreds of times?) Do you encourage other fans to vote? I'd like to hear what you think (pro or con). Please leave a comment here or on my Outlandish Observations Facebook page.
Personally, I don't participate in these online "click-fests". It's OK with me if others enjoy them, but I have better things to do with my time.
Asking fans to choose between Sam and Caitriona is sort of like asking which of your children is your favorite, and it just seems like a waste of time and effort to me. (For what it's worth, it appears Sam won that round.)
I can think of several reasons why these contests keep popping up:
1) It's good publicity for the show and the actors.
2) They help keep up the fans' interest and excitement during #Droughtlander.
3) They might help STARZ attract more subscribers.
4) They generate massive numbers of clicks (and presumably advertising revenue) for the sponsoring site.
I'm cynical enough to think that the last reason outweighs all the others, but I could be wrong.
Some of you may remember Audible's 2012 Tournament of Audiobooks, where FIERY CROSS made it to the final round, but then it turned into such a frenzy of clicking (on both sides) that Diana Gabaldon very graciously conceded the race, rather than have her fans waste hours and hours of their time in a futile effort to catch up.
Do you participate in these OUTLANDER-related online contests, like the Radio Times contest or the Ewwys? If not, why not? If a contest allows unlimited repeat voting, how many times do you personally vote? (Just once, or a handful of times, or hundreds of times?) Do you encourage other fans to vote? I'd like to hear what you think (pro or con). Please leave a comment here or on my Outlandish Observations Facebook page.
Personally, I don't participate in these online "click-fests". It's OK with me if others enjoy them, but I have better things to do with my time.
I did find the RadioTimes "SciFi Champion" contest to be a bit (or lot... depending on you view) absurd, because as I found when I was voting; EVERY TIME I clicked to vote for MY favorite it also clicked up the votes for the opponent! Now I understand that there were votes being given for the actor/actress opposite whomever I was clicking for, but it just seemed strange that the other one toted up as well as mine when I voted.
AND, finally that they put Sam & Cait up against each other, ridicules! The vote continually said 50%/50% for them, so in my mind it should be/have been a tie! Well I've had my say! Too long winded that for sure, but I got it off my chest!
Thanks for that opportunity Karen!!! Cybergram (aka myrnama)