Did The Jeeptb Contest Just Die?

[+WolfnWendy]

I am wondering what happened to the Jeep TB contest. It appears that the site for it is no longer changing over the contest periods so you cannot nominate anyone from November yet and the Dec entries are scheduled to be up for nominations in a few days. I was Hoping someone can tell us what happened to the contest or if those running it just stopped doing it. This was a fun promotion and I would hate to think Groundspeak was unable to complete the task as described.

[+SamLowrey]

I had been ignoring it until I found a YJTB. Now I'm kinda watching it, but get the impression few others are, too.

[+Wildwoods]

The Jeep TB contest was a great idea.

Too bad it was poorly run. Updates not made soon enough. Contest winner that clearly broke the posted rules.

[+AtlantaGal]

The Jeep TB contest was a great idea.

Too bad it was poorly run. Updates not made soon enough. Contest winner that clearly broke the posted rules.

Just curious, what specifically are you referring to with this statement?

[+SamLowrey]

The Jeep TB contest was a great idea.

Too bad it was poorly run.   Updates not made soon enough. Contest winner that clearly broke the posted rules.

Just curious, what specifically are you referring to with this statement?

Yes, I'm unaware of it, too.

[+bigredmed]

I agree with Atlanta Gal's point about the updates. Never did find out who won. The contest was run well from GC's side in terms of getting the YJTB's out. GC did a good job of making sure that they were spread around the country (congrats). After that, the wheels fell off.

 

The website was not the best of design, the means of contest entry were so varied that you never knew what you were entering when you logged the YJTB.

 

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck. Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago.

 

For my 2 cents, GC did well getting the game pieces out and publicizing the game on their site. Jeep didn't do so well in the conceptualization of the game (in terms of entry method and prizes).

[Keystone]

Hello from your usually friendly forum moderator. Some questions have been raised in the above posts that can be answered by referring to the long, long 16-page topic about the Yellow Jeep Travel Bug Contest that was pinned to the top of the Geocaching Topics forum until recently, and which then was closed by the topic originator.

 

In that thread, Jeremy expresses some frustration with the delay in announcing the prize winners in this post from October 26, linking to a list of the winners as of that date:

 

FINALLY I have been able to post the winners of the essays and photos from July through September.

 

Second, in that same thread, Wildwoods posted soon after the list of winners was published, raising an objection in this post to the number of words in one of the winning essay contest entries. The essay took the form of a song with multiple verses and a repeated refrain. Wildwoods' post in this topic renews the same objection.

 

I hope that these references to prior posts are helpful.

 

Finally, please note that the original poster wants to know about what is happening with the remaining contest period. Perhaps that ought to be discussed.

[Jeremy]

You can understand that in many ways I cannot speak freely about the internal workings on business related matters. However, I can say that I have raised many similar issues regarding the promotion and if/when we do it next year where I would suggest changes to be made.

 

Specificially related to the suggested changes is the removal of the grand prize vehicles - and instead offer much less expensive prizes and more of them. They were releasing 3 new vehicles this year (Such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Can you say hemi? ) so they wanted to give one of each as part of the promotion.

 

Also instead of an essay section we would just stick to a photo/essay combo winner.

 

BTW, I would strongly suggest that you enter into the Jeep Cherokee sweepstakes from now until the end of the entry period.

 

Actually the http://jeep.geocaching.com still gets significant traffic, and Jeeps have overall traveled over 3 million miles over the course of the promotion. 1/4 of them are currently listed in caches, which is about the level I expected to happen through theft/etc.

[+SamLowrey]

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck. Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago.

 

I would respectfully disagree. $10 - meh, just lunch somewhere. What am I going to get - a $10 check?

[+fly46]

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck.  Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago. 

 

I would respectfully disagree. $10 - meh, just lunch somewhere. What am I going to get - a $10 check?

$10 isn't much, but I'd be pretty happy over a $100 prize.

[Jeremy]

I'd want to give prizes like GPS units and hiking/outdoor gear if we did it again.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck.  Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago. 

 

I would respectfully disagree. $10 - meh, just lunch somewhere. What am I going to get - a $10 check?

$10 isn't much, but I'd be pretty happy over a $100 prize.

While $10 may not make me jump with joy, I think it would be cool to win any prize they offered.

 

Especially since it's nearly impossible to win the grand prize.

[+southdeltan]

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck.  Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago. 

 

I would respectfully disagree. $10 - meh, just lunch somewhere. What am I going to get - a $10 check?

I'd personally rather have a GOOD chance to win 10 bucks than VERY SMALL chance to win a Jeep.

 

I remember when Dr. Pepper had a contest where 1 in 6 won a free drink. (I think it's 1 in 12 now, but none of the stores around here will redeem the caps). That's what I drank. Now there are other softdrinks with HUGE prizes, but the chances are fairly small - that hasn't captured my attention (or my money).

 

I do think smaller prizes, maybe not THAT small, would be a better way to go.

 

People like to win stuff - it doesn't have to be a new Jeep. A new backpack or mapping software would be cool prizes for most geocachers.

 

sd

[+bigredmed]

The other thing was that contests that want to get people fired up would be better off giving away 2000 ten dollar prizes than one 20,000 dollar truck.  Look at how much excitement was generated by the FIRST Magellan game two years ago. 

 

I would respectfully disagree. $10 - meh, just lunch somewhere. What am I going to get - a $10 check?

I'd personally rather have a GOOD chance to win 10 bucks than VERY SMALL chance to win a Jeep.

 

I remember when Dr. Pepper had a contest where 1 in 6 won a free drink. (I think it's 1 in 12 now, but none of the stores around here will redeem the caps). That's what I drank. Now there are other softdrinks with HUGE prizes, but the chances are fairly small - that hasn't captured my attention (or my money).

 

I do think smaller prizes, maybe not THAT small, would be a better way to go.

 

People like to win stuff - it doesn't have to be a new Jeep. A new backpack or mapping software would be cool prizes for most geocachers.

 

sd

Yup.

 

Just won a drawing at the American Society of Hematology meeting this year.

There are about 10 drawings a year by various companies. I enter some of them ( maybe 50% per year). I have gone to 5 annual meetings, meaning that I have entered about 25 drawings, and won once. This is about as high of odds as appeal to me.

 

I would much rather have a 1/20 chance of winning a cap or a tee shirt than a 1/2,000,000 chance of winning a jeep, or even a 1/2000 chance of winning some nice GPS.

[+SamLowrey]

I'd personally rather have a GOOD chance to win 10 bucks than VERY SMALL chance to win a Jeep.

 

I was thinking/hoping the odds would be pretty good compared to other large scale contests - geocaching is not well known and not all of the geocachers are going to enter.....

 

 

 

I remember when Dr. Pepper had a contest where 1 in 6 won a free drink. (I think it's 1 in 12 now, but none of the stores around here will redeem the caps).  That's what I drank.  Now there are other softdrinks with HUGE prizes, but the chances are fairly small - that hasn't captured my attention (or my money).

 

 

I rarely drink soft drinks, but I have won free ones. Never redeemed them. Too much hassle.

[+AtlantaGal]

I agree with Atlanta Gal's point about the updates. Never did find out who won.

Um, that wasn't MY point. It was Wildwood's. I quoted that post because I wanted details on what was said. Just wanted to clarify that.

[+AtlantaGal]

BTW, I would strongly suggest that you enter into the Jeep Cherokee sweepstakes from now until the end of the entry period.

 

If this means what I think it could mean, please remember that not everyone who enters uses the same email address for a contest as they might use for their GC.com account. I know I sure don't.

 

Contests typically equal spam, regardless if there is an opt out/in. I always use an alternate email addy specifically for contests and freebies.

[+Mopar]

I'd personally rather have a GOOD chance to win 10 bucks than VERY SMALL chance to win a Jeep.

 

I was thinking/hoping the odds would be pretty good compared to other large scale contests - geocaching is not well known and not all of the geocachers are going to enter.....

 

Yeah, but don't forget, the prize Jeeps were not tied to the Jeep travel bugs. The contest was promoted by Jeep in lots of outdoor sports magazines. I don't think any of the previous 2 Jeep winners were even geocachers or we woulda heard about it by now.

Edited December 14, 2004 by Mopar

[+SamLowrey]

Yeah, but don't forget, the prize Jeeps were not tied to the Jeep travel bugs. The contest was promoted by Jeep in lots of outdoor sports magazines. I don't think any of the previous 2 Jeep winners were even geocachers or we woulda heard about it by now.

Ahhh, I did not know that. Thanks.

[nobby.nobbs]

if it was run again how about some token carrot for the cachers who live outside the usa? like united kingdom etc

[+WolfnWendy]

Ok.. I see my original point has been avoided.

 

I know that the giveaway for the Jeeps is by daily signup.

 

I want to know what happened to the photo/essay contest. The pages are still taking votes for the November nomination period. We are in the 1st of 2 December nomination periods with the 2nd just a few days away. Was this phase of the promotion stopped due to the winning entries already violating the rules or is it still active but no one is bothering to update and change over all the information. I would have liked a chance to win one of the simpler Jeep prize packs from the TB contest and looked forward to seeing everyones photo entries and even manage to read some essays.

 

What happened to this part of the promotion?

[+bigredmed]

if it was run again how about some token carrot for the cachers who live outside the usa? like united kingdom etc

Note to Jeremy, et al..

 

This is a good point and could be built into a contest by making one of the prizes an online gift certificate to REI or Cabela's or some place with a web presence.

 

The site is global, the contest was marketed globally, and the Europeans were interested in the YJTB's as much as any of us were.

 

Might pass this experience along to future marketing partners when planning some contest in the future.

[+Wildwoods]

The Jeep TB contest was a great idea.

Too bad it was poorly run.   Updates not made soon enough. Contest winner that clearly broke the posted rules.

Just curious, what specifically are you referring to with this statement?

The wining essay written by THE HONEY WOLVES.

The rules state "Method 2) Complete the official online entry form and submit it, along with an essay of 300 words or less describing your Geocaching experience finding or planting the Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug (the “Essay entry”). Essays over 300 words will be disqualified.

The winning essay has a word count of 425.

Edited December 15, 2004 by Wildwoods

[+Wildwoods]

-SNIP-

FINALLY I have been able to post the winners of the essays and photos from July through September.

 

Second, in that same thread, Wildwoods posted soon after the list of winners was published, raising an objection in this post to the number of words in one of the winning essay contest entries. The essay took the form of a song with multiple verses and a repeated refrain. Wildwoods' post in this topic renews the same objection.

-SNIP-

What refrain is repeated ? Each verse is worded differently.

 

The winning essay:

In the spirit of the forthcoming Halloween season we drafted this up - It may come off a little on the hokey side but we hope it generates a few laughs.

It can be sung to the tune of Monster Mash - hope you are entertained.

 

Monster Cache

 

We were following our GPS out late one night

When we came upon an unusual sight

A pile of rocks at the base of a tree

When we looked underneath just what did we see?

 

We found a cache

We found a monster cache

A monster cache

It was an outdoor smash

Its called geo cache

We caught on in a flash

We found a cache

We found a monster cache

 

So we logged on the Internet to geo cache dot com

And the whole family got involved and we even brought Mom

We brought along the dogs and the neighbor’s kids too

And we all jumped in our jeep and then what did we do?

 

We searched for cache

We looked for geo cache

The monster cache

It was an outdoor smash

We found the cache

We found the monster cache

The monster cache

We did the geo cache

 

The Honey Wolves were having fun

Up and down the trails they would run

We found our first cache in no time

And our day had just begun

 

We drove through the mountains on to find the next trail

Through the rain and the snow and the sleet and the hail

And we shifted our jeep into four wheel drive

And we know there is no doubt that we are going to arrive

 

 

At the cache

At the geo cache

A monster cache

It was an out door smash

We found the cache

We caught on in a flash

We found the cache

We found the geo cache

 

Now we really must be honest and we do confess

That we never had this fun before our first GPS

And the Honey Wolves just love all the running all around

And the yellow jeep travel bugs that they eventually found

 

Everything is cool the day went just as we planned

You can play this game anywhere in the land

For you the muggles geo cache can be played too

When you get your next Jeep tell them the Honey Wolves sent you

 

Then you can cache

Then you can geo cache

A monster cache

And do an out door smash

Then you can cache

You’ll catch on in a flash

Then you can cache

Then you can geo-cache

Edited December 15, 2004 by Wildwoods

[+WolfnWendy]

Exactly, It sounds as if someone if trying to justify an invalid entry. The Refrains are all worded differently so the all the words would count. It never says (repeat Chorus) or anything like that which may have saved it.

 

I have still not been answered to my question of what is happening with all the pics and essays from November and December entry periods. The voting should have been done by now for the 1st December group and the 2nd group would have started by now. If the contest has been closed because it was run inappropriatly I would like to know. I seem to remember McDonalds getting into trouble for this a few years back.

 

Please tell us whats going on. I would like to know whether to see if I can vote on these soon because the problem is being fixed or if Groundspeak and Jeep have given up and are just denying anyone else the chance to win.

 

I noticed that there were some comments from higher ups in Groundspeak to my question before but none that answered what was going on with the JeepTB photo/essay contest.

 

At the least they could replace the photo/essay contest page with one that says contest closed or something.

[Cachengrab]

Are you considering Canadian's for the possible Up and Coming giveaways Jeremy we play the game as well. We support the sport and participate in all other aspects of the game. ie CITO, TB's, Geo-wear, memberships.......................

[+Green Achers]

And now it all starts over again...

2005 Jeep Travel Bug Rules.

I got one of the first 10 released Travel Bug Jeep's at the GBES Rally. Now I'm waiting for the start of the contest so I can log the find and turn it lose.

 

Did any of last years problems get cleared up? Like the fact that Jeep has yet to ever notify me about my winning! [i did win, didn't I?!]

[+Glenn]

Void in AK, HI, FL and where prohibited.

 

Yet, all three states are listed in the state drop down box on the sweepstakes entry page.

[+M&DofKJE]

Armed with white jeep! Ready to release. (Boy, you should have seen the effort people put into getting those jeeps!)