Have you seen these signs everywhere? The timing of my other Posts must have been perfect because I had no clue this was coming up. Nevertheless, how many of you believe the Metropolitan Magazine is accurate on this issue?
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
BEST OF....WHAT?
Spending outrageous amounts on advertising?
I've yet to figure it out.
I have posted on this before...it is not a "best of" contest...it is a "I'm the more recognizable name for someone to vote for" because...they don't use my type of service...BUT...they are required to fill in an answer for every category.
FAKE!!! FRAUD!!!
Money wasted!!!! How much of the money spent for all of this is GRANT money? Has anyone looked into this?
who ever advertises the most in the Metropolitan wins
I'm not sure what you're talking about BUT each company that won "best of" will receive 2 "free" tickets and any extra tickets can be purchased at $100/head. As you can see there that the proceeds are donated. Usually it is a sold out event and I will attending this year as our company won "best of". We were not advertising at that time but had few years back.
the whoever advertises the most is complete bull sh*t. If you have actually looked at the winners than you will see some of the winners are small companies that can't afford to spend big ol bucks on advertising. Then I see some companies in there over and over and over again and they didn't win. SO stop talking out of your crack. However I will agree that it is utterly ridiculous costing to advertise... but I can tell you the return is just the same !!!!!!
told ya,
If that were so true 10:19, why didn't you sign your name or company? Damage control?
This has got to be the stupidest thing I have ever seen! And then the people who win really think it means something.
It means that they spent the most money in their industry on advertising, in this pointless magazine.
Has anyone ever read an interesting and informative article in this magazine?
There are only sales pitches for the company that has bought the front page, in an article style write up.
Metropolitan Magazine is a waste of perfectly good trees.
If they want to do a best of why don't they set up a website and have people vote on what they think is the best, and then do an article on the findings.
You can have the crappiest service in town but if you pay enough to Metropolitan, you can be voted the best.
If you want to stop it...don't pick up their magazine.
Then their advertisers will see that they aren't being read, and they won't get the advertising, and eventually go out of business.
To 10:19 AM
You said it in your own words. Your company advertised with Metropolitan.
It's doesn't matter if they are currently advertising, fact remains, they have advertised.
Your company probably won so Metro could come to the business and say "we want to do an article on your win!" but...we need you to place an ad.
I've seen it...I've been there.
It's a gimmick with these people!
And yes, small businesses DO advertise with Metro...because they are convinced it is THE place for them to advertise.
Several years ago, the company I worked for ran an ad with them for 1 year. They did a story on the company after the first month.
After we started, when we got calls, we would ask EVERYONE how they heard of us...not ONE said from Metro. We did this the entire year. If we had gotten just ONE person who said Metro, we might have continued advertising because that ONE job would have paid for the ad.
So nobody will ever convince me that this publication is on the up and up and worth the money it costs to be in there.
This is the event where Salisbury attempts to act like it has class. The "classy" people of Salisbury attend this event drink to much and act like fools. I went to this a couple of years ago and it is a complete joke. This isnt DC or Baltimore, get over yourselves.
umm yeah we won runner up for a few things. but it's still crap and we're indifferent to the voting. but too bad...i'll be at Fernando's fight!
Take the money and have a pig/bull/oyster roast in the backyard or local park (casual dress-comfortable shoes)....if you want to chuck more thousands of dollars away-hire David Allen Coe or The Doobie Brothers (hell, let's do both)to play live. Your business revenue will increase tenfold..
half the people in the mag/rag have never pulled a jimmy up on a line in their life, eastern shore my ass.
I'll tell you how to win. Do exactly what the Realtor who was selected 'Best in O.C. & Berlin' did even though he doesn't do any business down there. You pay your agents and staff to go out and collect every Metropolitan they can get their hands on and have them fill out all the voting slips. I will never advertise in this mag again because it's obviously an absolute joke!!
Why all the hatred on here. Its a great marketing tool for the metropolitan, plus part of the proceeds go to a charitable organization in town. For years it was March of Dimes, then United Way, now PRMC.
I really don't understand how this has gotten under so many peoples skin.
There's no tax money involved,no grants, nothing anyone should care about. I know for a fact that the results are tallied without regard to adverstising. In fact, in the past, the non-profit actually tallied and controlled the process.
Since when is PRMC a non-profit?
OMG! They are a FOR PROFIT hospital...and why do they need money? To pay for what new construction they've already done? That construction was SUPPOSED to have all been paid for in advance.
Another "business" living beyond their means? Gonna go under and cry to the government for a bailout?
It wouldn't surprise me.
I do not regard this hospital as being non-profit in any way, shape or form....you've really got to be kidding.
I don't believe most people are against the type of event they are hosting.
But if you would read all the postings regarding Metro, you will see it is clearly based on the "Best Of" gimmick.
If Metro wants to have a gala, then fine, have a gala. You want to raise money for a legitimate non-profit/charity? then fine, raise money...nothing wrong there I suppose.
But...don't link what could be a good thing up with a joke of "The Best Of".
That's the problem. It's not hatred...it's "Don't bullsh*t me!".
It's great raising money for non profit organizations but is it ok to mislead the public while doing so?? When a publication hands out 'best of' awards it's implied those awards were earned, right? Metropolitan is lying to and misleading the public while giving free publicity to companies who haven't earned, nor deserve, this recognition. It's made the whole spirit of the gala a farce because everyone knows the real story.
Whether awards are given out based on advertising I have no idea but I've been told directly by one of the 'winners' that they simply stuffed the ballots and they actually got a big kick out of the fact they were able to do this. Sad thing is, the jokes on the public!!
All of you that are on here complaining have you ever voted? I know I have and when I did I recieved a phone call to verify my ballot. Whats wrong with brining a little class to salisbury...are you not proud of where you live? You can sit here and attack these people who are raising money for a good cause and to help the community but its not going to affect anything. Sounds to me we have a lot of jelous citizens in this community.
I am so glad you asked...and that tells me that you have not taken the time to read other posts on this subject of "Best Of".
I wanted to vote a few years ago!
I could NOT vote, because (and I'm tired of repeating myself) you have to vote for EVERY category.
I do not use the services for EVERY category...therefore I felt I could not vote.
Sure, I could have filled in a vote for whoever on those areas, but how does that get someone the "Best Of" award...it doesn't...it says "that is the name most familiar to me". Get it????????
It is not a FAIR contest! It is not the BEST OF....it is....THE MOST POPULAR....a popularity contest...not looking for THE BEST!
Damn I hope I don't have to explain that again!
You didn't even bother to read the very first post on this blog entry did you?! No jealousy here...I guarantee you.....NO interest in BEING part of that crowd.
It is completely staged!! Our company got a solicitation call asking us to advertise, and implying that would give us the edge over our competition in the "best of" contest. If you look closely, all the winners are major advertisers - small and big businesses both!!
this is great, joe remember the comment you didnt post when i said it was consumer marketing fraud, i thought you were protecting me but im glad its in the light of day now. this bullshit is done.
There is a PRMC FOUNDATION. It is is a non-profit whose purpose -- "FUNDS-PROVIDED-FOR-EDUCATION,
CANCER CARE,_CARDIAC CARE, EMERGENCY SERVICES, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND OTHER HEALTH CARE SERVICES." Their latest information can be found under the group's name in the Foundation Center's 990 Finder. 990s are filed with the IRS. The latest filing is 2007; they donated over $2,000,000 to PRMC.
Let's lower our intensity on this company. They are an advertising and publishing company that wants to earn a living and make a profit from advertising. There is nothing wrong with that.
Companies pay the Metropolitan to advertise their company. That is what businesses do. Since this mag is free and available everywhere, it's a good avenue for this.
Best Of publications are big in most locals. People are proud of their business and customers are loyal to their favorite establishments. Pride is at the head of such debate. If a business wins that you didn't vote for, it hurts your pride because your choice didn't get picked. Just like if your teams loses on game day. It's defeating and deflating. many people take this personally like it is a judgement against an individual for their choice.
Metropolitan would be better off trying to exclude employees and owners from voting for the category that their business falls into. This would bring some fairness to the contest. Just like most other contests do.
Then they should ask for comments on the choices of the entrant. It would be harder for one person to write different things about the same place over and over. Someone filling out one ballot would have no problems doing this.
Next, the ballot should not be all inclusive. If you never hired a lawyer, how could you votr for the best. Also allow write in votes.
Metropolitan wants to know where the people go. This would give them more data to get more business from these companies. Also, when the votes come in, this gives Metro data about how many readers are out there. This is more info that they can use to get high prices for the advertising.
I would ask people not to take this silly contest so personal. The only one who has to think that a certain business is #1 is you! Recognition that peole agree with you is nice, but it doesn't change a thing. Unless it brings more business so there are longer waits, or less quality. I hope that doesn't happen.
If you like someplace and like this type of contest, then vote. If you are a business and you ask your staff to fill out these ballot is duplicate, then you aren't being honest. This will never be rewarded as the Lord is always watching. Do the right thing, treat you customers fair and with respect and the business will always be there. You don't need a contest to tell you that.
You dont have to vote on every category...only 50...
read the directions...get your facts straight.
be optimistic people...your social and mabye love lifes will benefit
The best of the eastern shore will be at the civic center, believe me. The metropolitan magazine was asked to cover a fund raiser hosted by Long and Foster, ERA Martin and Martin & Moore called " Realtors in the Ring" Approximately 90 people attended, had a great time, and made the event a big success. The Metropolitan said they don't cover non-profits events. Do you believe they said that? I saw the kids that they help over there and I think it's because they don't fit the clientel that the metropolitan caters to. Nuff said ?
hi 1:42
you sound pretty stupid cuz you don't have to vote for EVERY catagory, you only have to do 50.
I don't have a business, so I don't put ads in the magazine. I actually paid for tickets a few years ago, my husband and I attended when it was a less formal affair at Shorebirds stadium. It did not benefit PRMC that year, it actually benefited a charity.
We attended because one of the winners was a local talent, Randy Lee Ashcraft, and we enjoy hearing him.
That year it was casual, and the food was great, and I must say that we enjoyed ourselves.
From what I have seen, most of the winners truly deserve the distinction. English's Fried Chicken (now served @ Bay Country Meals) is still the best in Salisbury, and although I haven't tested them all, I would bet that someone truly believes in all of winners.
I do pick up the magazine, and I have found some wonderful information in it, but then I am not a snob, I don't look down my nose at others.
I enjoy seeing what is available in our area, even if I don't need it, or can't afford it, and some of the ads, actually give you helpful information.
I won't be attending this year, and may never attend again, the "gala" type affair is just too rich for my budget, but I certainly don't begrudge those who can afford it.
Just another opinion.
why is everyone so upset about this? it's a free magazine, people choose to advertise, and people choose to read it.
i know all votes that are counted have been verified. and they must meet all the qualifications on the back of the ballot...and you only have to vote for 50, you can fill in any business you think is the best, they do not have to be advertisers.
you don't have to like the idea of the magazine and you can choose not to pick it up, but why bash something you know nothing about?
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