"Best In" Contests = Popularity Contests

Have you ever had this happen - you go to a "Best in" or other type of themed contest at a dance venue and within minutes of arriving realize the clientele is pretty much a group of regulars and regardless how spectacular your outfit is...you don't have a chance of winning?

So, perhaps that's human nature. I think it's a bit silly for clubs to keep having these kinds of contests with someone from the same little group always winning. I would think the point of these contests is to attract new business. And I realize this may not be true of all clubs but pretty much most of the ones we have been to are.

Ok, this isn't a big deal as we only go to these events if it's (a) a type of music/dance venue we enjoy and want to check it out, (b) we have an outfit that is a great representation of the theme and it's a good chance to wear it or (c) we have been asked there by a friend.

I don't expect to win anymore based on my first paragraph, so it's not biggie.

However, last night really griped me.

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A new dance club recently opened. We were excited when we found it as it is a niche type club for a specific dance my partner and I both love. Not one that would attract the rank and file of the average SL clubber. Many nights we go to dance there and, except for the owner and one employee, we are the only other people there. We have chatted with the owner a bit, who always profusely thanks us for coming. I always tip well.

Last night we received a notice from the group that the owner would be DJing at another club to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The contest was best in salsa attire. I don't really have a salsa dress per se, but put on the closest facsimile and headed over with my partner. Again, no expectations of winning the contest and was just going to be supportive to the DJ/Owner of the other niche club.

Now the difference in this situation is that during the 2 hour event, my partner and I were the only people there who were not employees of the club. (And only 4 of them.) The DJ/owner of the other club welcomed us warmly and sent an IM to me to thank us for coming and supporting him. In open chat he made a comment that we were really the main stable core of his club.

After the initial "Welcome to..." by one or two of this club's employees, the conversation pretty much stayed between them and the DJ on topics that only they would understand - like in-jokes. I entered chat, was sociable, etc. so was definitely participating.

Due to the fact that we were the only non-employees there, we were also the only "contestants" for the contest.

With 15 minutes to go before the event was over (we arrived at the beginning), a woman arrived who was apparently a friend of this group judging by the overwhelming welcomes she received. She was wearing pants and leather boots with silver chains...in short...nothing close to a salsa outfit. The employees immediately began telling her to enter the contest. She said she didn't have a salsa dress...in fact not many dresses at all. The employees responded, "It doesn't matter; we're not picky." She declined saying she wasn't dressed right and didn't really care about entering.

The employees kept INSISTING she put her name on the board. It was becoming apparent that they wanted someone they knew to win...they could even have IM'd her to come over for all I know. (I don't know if club employees vote in these contests....but the insistence for this woman to enter, with her continuing to protest, was suspicious...and annoying for us who had come to the event at the beginning, were the only non-employees there, had tipped the DJ, received IM's thanking us for coming, etc.)

Then the DJ/niche club owner started insisting this woman enter the contest as well.

That did it.

I decided to vote with my feet and said in public chat:

"Apparently there is a house favorite for the contest so it is time we take our leave (and added a thank you to the DJ for the wonderful music and added a smiley) and left.

At home, both my partner and I left the small niche club that we are generally the only ones at.

Bottom line - club owners - if you go to the effort of holding these so-called contests and want new patrons - it would behoove you to not turn them into inbred popularity contests.

/rant off

well said Czari, i too have stopped attending clubs where its either only employees who win, or the winner is not dressed according to the contest rules. oddly enough? those clubs close within 45 days.

What you have described drives me insane.

We use to run a club just because we thought it would be fun to try...knowing full well it was a money pit! On our first night it was packed and no one else could get in..we had massive prizes in celebration of opening and on the last contest we had a DJ who had a massive following Djing for us and enter the contest without our knowledge..I really did not have a clue and neither did our hosts notice because our policy was that no staff were to enter the contests..

Anyway because of his massive following he won...needless to say we were sick and I actually gave another 3k prize to the person who came 2nd because I just felt so bad...

This is bearing in mind the 'promotion company' he represented let us down MASSIVELY and I had to do everything on a wing and a prayer with NO notice...

Ugh clubs..I will stick to torturing prims!

I asked last night how long the club had been opened where the event was held last night and was told 10 months. Exactly HOW judging from last night's turnout I can't imagine EXCEPT....
....they also have pole dancers, lap dancers and *ahem* "private escort rooms."

The small niche club I predict will close fairly soon since it takes a certain type of person who REALLY loves that particular dance/music and since now 3/4 of the group is gone.....

~ ~ ~

Speaking of clubs...we need to swing over and hear you DJ

I am a "regular" at one club where I tip, etc. I enjoy the Best In because I like putting the outfits together- I have never, ever, won any of these - it rather irked me for awhile because I could tell that in some cases I really was the Best In - after a while it stopped mattering and now I dress up for them if I feel like the challenge. Basically it has become really a contest of me with me, .

I agree, it is annoying to see folks win that are nowhere even in the vicinity of what the desired effect should be.

Oh man, Tiana...that sucks And that was really cool of you to give another prize to the person who came in second.

I generally don't like outfit contests. I understand that it's just a way to encourage people to dress up in the theme of the club, or event - that it makes the whole thing more visually pleasant for everyone - more special, etc. Why compete though? Especially when most are making an effort. How about just acknowledging people in open chat who have put the effort into their avatar or outfit. Singling out people by name with a (ex) "Wow! Beautiful hat!" does just as well.

As for clubs that are empty except for employees, wth? I guess they have to start somewhere, but they should have given you the prize. They should also have IMed you afterwards to apologize or explain. No wonder they have so few real visitors. They should maybe think less about contests, and more about how to treat their patrons.

Back when I went to clubs that had contests (I avoid them like the plague now, lol!), this really bothered me. I seriously wanted to start a group called "Best Best Voters", that would crash events and overwhelmingly vote for the actual best outfit.

Further, I wanted the group to also award its own "Best Effort" prize, for the person who is under 60 days old who has assembled the coolest outfit from freebies.

This 'popularity contest' practice really frosts my onions, mostly because it SO disappoints newbies who slave over their look sometimes in order to win and are justifiably proud of their efforts. Only to discover the contests are generally a scam.
.

Hence the reason I stopped going to clubs. I rarely step foot into them any longer.

I do have to say that last week I wandered into Alt7 for the first time in months, because the group chat mentioned they were playing a set of one of my favorite bands at that moment. I decided to give it another try, came dressed as was (which was nowhere near "alternative".

Surprisingly, I was received very warmly by everyone in there, including the DJ on that evening. You could tell it was a "cliquish" bunch because everyone knew each other very well by the type of conversations going on, but I was made to feel welcome and included. I was quite shocked actually. Wound up spending a couple of hours dancing, getting to know people and the DJ (who BTW, is fantastic if you like alternative music and I will highly recommend for private parties to anyone interested).

I think what set them apart, was their understanding that while they were a "clique" in the sense of the word that they knew each other (much like we use it here) they also knew how to welcome newcomers, and not take themselves too seriously and were excited about getting new people into their fold - again, much like we are here too. I felt like I had walked into an environment which was inclusive, not excluding. And believe me, as outgoing as I am it is hard for me to go alone to a club.

Alot of it had to do with the DJ for sure. He wasn't the type of person who talked over the music, or stuck to a strict playlist, or was unapproachable. He clearly was running the joint, but was in with the crowd dancing, asking for suggestions, building on connections that happened, was part of the group chat conversation and was as excited to be there as everyone else was.

The whole vibe was infectious, fun and made you want to come back again. Which I will. And I know that nobody is going to play favorites there, all are equal. I mean, if I could walk in wearing a rather conservative black dress with heels in a place where most people had on mohawks and piercings and easily blend in, this is the kind of place where I want to be

I agree. That's wrong and have noticed this in many clubs in the past. These days I only attend a single club which belongs to one who I consider a friend. She holds events regularly and I have never seen it turn into a popularity contest, nor have I seen employees enter...although the employees are part of the vote. I usually dress for the event but don't always enter the contest.

Here's what hacks me however (and this one particular club owner). She held an event on Sunday afternoon. It was slow for sl club goers that day, but a total of three actually came and entered the event. I entered myself in my monkee pj's mainly to help to add to this tiny list of competition. Within a matter of minutes, avatars started popping in like crazy! Nobody but myself, one other and the club owner were chatting. These that popped in were obviously alts or friends of one of the participants called up to vote. Nobody, not one of them spoke when spoken to. None of them entered the contest which remained at the sparse three original participants. It was entirely too obvious what was going on. Vote bots? Multi-logins? Something smelled rotten at Liquid Rock. (shameless plug cause this club is one among the fun and fair).

at the Halloween contest i went to with some other cartel members here, i was told (either in public chat or IM) that i had the best costume they'd seen in a long time. over and over and over.

right towards the end of the event the sim crashed and i could never get back in, so i finally gave up and went to bed. there was a cash prize for best avatar.

the next morning, i asked anyone and everyone who won for the girls costume, and i was never told the answer.. evasions and such.

if i won, i never received a prize. if i didn't win, i don't really care, but i think it was a scam.

That sort of thing is quite common, but even some of those clubs can be great places to be because of the regular crowd.

Also, a great many clubs are not like that at all. On my only visit to one place, I almost won a best in thong contest - after I'd logged off and gone bed an hour earlier. Nobody knew me there, but I was informed of the scores the next day.

At another place that I'd never been to before, I didn't dress the part at all, but the owner (a stranger to me) gave me a couple of props to wear out of the blue, and I won that one. I was a stranger to everyone there except one person.

I've also won fair and square in a place where I couldn't join in much chat because they were all german.

I've won in other clubs where I wasn't known too.

So many places are good for contests, but in some places, only people in the in-crowd ever win, and to be fair, my votes often went to someone I like.

Honestly, because of how gracious the niche club owner/DJ has always been to us, I truly expected an IM from him. Nada, though.

Are you referring to the Halloween Party at the Hangout?

O.o Somehow I didn't picture you for a thong man, Phil

no. it was at some club that our resident Desperate Housewife took nme to.

I DJ'd at a club where they had a big contest on opening night. I noticed part way through that the employees had entered and to my horror, the owner had entered! Right then, I knew that I would never DJ there again and that the club would never last. Both counts proved to be true. I had people IMing me, because....get this...the owner WON!!

*shakes head*

You go to a club, a grand opening no less. They have a big prize, and you deserve to win. And the owner wins? His own money? Good lord.....how ridiculous. And there were five people with better outfits. Hard to believe he's out of business now, huh?

I never enter contests when I DJ. Unless it's the odd night when only employees are attending, and the owner asks everyone to enter. And if I'm ever at a club where employees are entering I let the owner or manager know that most people do not think that is cool and be done with it...I'm gone.

Yeah, that's nutty. It's fine to run an establishment just for your own pleasure (that's what I do, for sure), but if part of that pleasure isn't making the general public feel welcome, why open it to the public? Just invite your buds to come party with you every night.

I have to agree with Phil - there are places out there that run good, fair contests. It all depends on the environment of the place, I guess. If it's an open, welcoming place, like Elora mentioned - where new visitors are seen not as interlopers but as potential friends - no one will have a problem voting for the new guy if he has the best outfit. If it's not a welcoming place but just a gathering spot for the owner and his inner circle, then the point is to fete themselves, not to involve new folks in the fun.

Some of you have heard this story but I'll tell you anyhow: I am blue Madhu because of a contest at a club. When I first started SL, I had green skin. (I was playing with the appearance sliders and I thought it was cool that I could make my skin green, so I did.) One day, after I'd only been in SL for a few weeks, I heard that a club I'd visited once before had a "best in blue" party. So, I changed my skin to blue and went to the event.

I won the contest, thanks to my blue-hued default avatar skin, and I never looked back.
(Though I've since bought some nicer blue skin!)

That was a fair contest where I was selected by people who didn't know me.

Oh wow the owner won?!

clubs can be fun but that would suck! I was mad enough that a Dj had entered despite us saying no staff entering.. because that does just encourage a popularity contest without fail... Everytime I think of that I get mad! LOL It was just so wrong!

I think the icing of the cake was that a promotion company we had invested into heavily to help us out as we had no clue really and were just doing it for fun...had let us down so badly finally showed up for the last two hours, entourage in tow all voting for the one DJ that actually turned up out of the 3 of them we had booked!

Someone pass me a prozac...I still get so (((( at it!

hehe. I used to enjoy it

It's going to be almost impossible to avoid this kind of garbage if there's any sort of a public vote involved. I think if I owned a club, I would promote these contests, because they can be fun, but I would either judge them myself or have a small handful of judges I trusted to be impartial do the judging. That way everyone has a chance to win, and the best contestant will generally come out on top. Of course, no employees would be allowed to enter, either.

that's just not right.

good plan!

When I was new my best friend and I often went to the Best of contests, sometimes with my boyfriend, sometimes not. My boyfriend was very, very outrageous in open chat which only egged me on to match his outrageousness, so sometimes we'd end up winning as a couple whether we dressed up for the contest or not, leaving my friend feeling very left out.

So (yeah this is evil), my boyfriend and I cooked up a plan to pay the owners of a club to hold a Best in Purple contest, and to announce my friend as the winner (because about 3/4 of everything she owned was purple). The owners agreed and took our money. We went to the club, but my friend refused to wear purple because she'd bought a new white outfit and wanted to wear that instead, saying "It's okay, I never win these things anyway." Heh, we were out L$10k and she didn't even enter the damn contest. Served us right, lol.

You haven't seen me in a thong