Showtime marketing department is pretty pathetic

[jujigatame]

So Showtime is looking for artists to create promotional materials for Mayweather/Maidana II. Instead of, you know, offering actual money, they're soliciting them to join a "competition" where the winner gets a flight to Vegas for the fight. A giant corporation is begging established artists and graphic designers for free work. That is unbelievably lame.

http://mic.com/articles/96170/an-artist ... k-for-free

[punchoutsb]

Wow...that's a bit surprising and very unprofessional.

It's one thing if it's your local grocery store, but one would think Showtime would be more on the ball.

[Boxing Prospect]

As a partner of an artist I actually LIKE Showtime's idea but feel that they should have had artists APPROACH them by choice rather than the other way around.

"Here's our offer (Total value of hotel room, flights and tickets) for the best artwork regarding the fight" is nothing to be sniffed at. Heck the value of the offer has got to be worth a fair bit anyway, right?

[ReggieDiggs]

I see companies doing this from time til time I don't see an issue. And these contests aren't usually designed for the Bob Ross's & Banksy's of the world there for amateurs or people making lil money doing w/e it is they do. The thing I seem to see is songwriting contests but I dont see Kenny Rogers bitching about it. Also can't imagine this will be used as the official logo or w/e for the fight (ffs fight is a month away Lol) but I would expect it getting some sort of "showing" but thats part of the value of winning the contest.

[jujigatame]

As a partner of an artist I actually LIKE Showtime's idea but feel that they should have had artists APPROACH them by choice rather than the other way around.

"Here's our offer (Total value of hotel room, flights and tickets) for the best artwork regarding the fight" is nothing to be sniffed at. Heck the value of the offer has got to be worth a fair bit anyway, right?

Well first of all, that package only has any value whatsoever if you're a big fight fan.

Second of all, that package only goes to ONE of the entrants. So if you're an artist contributing to this thing, you have a very large chance of getting nothing for your work.

And yes, it's absurd that they're actively soliciting establish artists (who have done freelance work for major brands like Nike) for this.

[jujigatame]

I see companies doing this from time til time I don't see an issue. And these contests aren't usually designed for the Bob Ross's & Banksy's of the world there for amateurs or people making lil money doing w/e it is they do. The thing I seem to see is songwriting contests but I dont see Kenny Rogers bitching about it. Also can't imagine this will be used as the official logo or w/e for the fight (ffs fight is a month away Lol) but I would expect it getting some sort of "showing" but thats part of the value of winning the contest.

The guy they solicited wasn't an amateur, he was a pro. Their letter to him basically amounted to "hey, we really like your work, how about you do some work for us and if we really like it (no guarantees) we'll reward you with a Vegas vacation that you may or may not actually want."

It's pretty ridiculous for a big company to be doing this.

[lefty]

So Showtime is looking for artists to create promotional materials for Mayweather/Maidana II. Instead of, you know, offering actual money, they're soliciting them to join a "competition" where the winner gets a flight to Vegas for the fight. A giant corporation is begging established artists and graphic designers for free work. That is unbelievably lame.

http://mic.com/articles/96170/an-artist ... k-for-free

Pretty shitty but seems to be the world we live in unfortunately.

[tiny_acres]

I have no problem with it.It might actually get a few people that were not interested in the fight interested in it.
Think outside the box.

[jujigatame]

I have no problem with it.It might actually get a few people that were not interested in the fight interested in it.
Think outside the box.

I'm not sure I grasp your logic here.

[Boxing Prospect]

As a partner of an artist I actually LIKE Showtime's idea but feel that they should have had artists APPROACH them by choice rather than the other way around.

"Here's our offer (Total value of hotel room, flights and tickets) for the best artwork regarding the fight" is nothing to be sniffed at. Heck the value of the offer has got to be worth a fair bit anyway, right?

Well first of all, that package only has any value whatsoever if you're a big fight fan.

Second of all, that package only goes to ONE of the entrants. So if you're an artist contributing to this thing, you have a very large chance of getting nothing for your work.

And yes, it's absurd that they're actively soliciting establish artists (who have done freelance work for major brands like Nike) for this.

The odds are if you didn't like boxing you wouldn't enter anyway.So that's a moot point.

Secondly not everyone can win in life, as they are only using one design its hard to complain that there is only 1 winner. If I buy a lottery ticket I don't get any return if I don't win.

Like I said for the little no name artists like my girlfriend it's great to give them a chance like that. For the big names it's something they can ignore.

[jujigatame]

The odds are if you didn't like boxing you wouldn't enter anyway.So that's a moot point.

You're ignoring the fact that they're actively soliciting artists for this. So it's not really a fan art contest, it's pro freelance work disguised as a fan art contest, because holding a "fan art contest" is cheaper than, you know, actually paying people for their work.

People have this idea that art and graphic design is just a hobby or something people do for fun because they enjoy it. No, this is people's livelihood. It is what they do to eat and pay rent.

[SFW]

The odds are if you didn't like boxing you wouldn't enter anyway.So that's a moot point.

You're ignoring the fact that they're actively soliciting artists for this. So it's not really a fan art contest, it's pro freelance work disguised as a fan art contest, because holding a "fan art contest" is cheaper than, you know, actually paying people for their work.

People have this idea that art and graphic design is just a hobby or something people do for fun because they enjoy it. No, this is people's livelihood. It is what they do to eat and pay rent.

Exactly.

[ReggieDiggs]

I see companies doing this from time til time I don't see an issue. And these contests aren't usually designed for the Bob Ross's & Banksy's of the world there for amateurs or people making lil money doing w/e it is they do. The thing I seem to see is songwriting contests but I dont see Kenny Rogers bitching about it. Also can't imagine this will be used as the official logo or w/e for the fight (ffs fight is a month away Lol) but I would expect it getting some sort of "showing" but thats part of the value of winning the contest.

The guy they solicited wasn't an amateur, he was a pro. Their letter to him basically amounted to "hey, we really like your work, how about you do some work for us and if we really like it (no guarantees) we'll reward you with a Vegas vacation that you may or may not actually want."

It's pretty ridiculous for a big company to be doing this.

Maybe they didn't know How well he does with his craft Idk, but it don't seem like a big deal to me. Its tacky @ worst if this guy is some balla artist.

[jujigatame]

Doesn't matter if he's a "balla" or just an average joe. He's a professional. This is how he makes his living.

[Boxing Prospect]

The odds are if you didn't like boxing you wouldn't enter anyway.So that's a moot point.

You're ignoring the fact that they're actively soliciting artists for this. So it's not really a fan art contest, it's pro freelance work disguised as a fan art contest, because holding a "fan art contest" is cheaper than, you know, actually paying people for their work.

People have this idea that art and graphic design is just a hobby or something people do for fun because they enjoy it. No, this is people's livelihood. It is what they do to eat and pay rent.

And you're forgetting the fact that they DON'T HAVE TO APPLY. It's a bit of fun and opportunity. Don't like it don't enter.

[uptconnect]

Does anyone else see the irony in an ongoing conversation about how showtime marketing sucks?
Someone started a thread to talk specifically about showtime marketing. Negative or positive, score one for the away team.

[jujigatame]

And you're forgetting the fact that they DON'T HAVE TO APPLY. It's a bit of fun and opportunity. Don't like it don't enter.

What a silly response. Nobody said they are forced to apply. How would that even work?

The point is that Showtime is trolling for free marketing materials, which is lame and undignified for a huge production being put on by a major corporation. It would be lame enough if they were just doing it under the guise of a fan contest, but the fact that they're actively soliciting professionals to enter just makes it 100x lamer.

[Boxing Prospect]

Like I said the soliciting was bad actually having the competition isn't.

This is a COMPETITION not a COMMISSION. People who can sell their work to big companies shouldn't be interested but fans of boxing who are artists will likely enjoy the opportunity.

[jujigatame]

The reason they're soliciting is because they know the contest alone will probably not produce a lot of high quality entrants, and they're doing this in lieu of actually hiring professional artists to create promotional materials.

[ReggieDiggs]

Doesn't matter if he's a "balla" or just an average joe. He's a professional. This is how he makes his living.

You act like "professionals" never do sh!t for free to get more business or that everyone knows whos pro @ this sorta sh!t. Seems w/e to me & maybe like the guys trying to get more business over this so called scandal or w/e. More power to the guy w/e the case.

[ReggieDiggs]

The reason they're soliciting is because they know the contest alone will probably not produce a lot of high quality entrants, and they're doing this in lieu of actually hiring professional artists to create promotional materials.

So this is supposed to be on the official tshirt or some such sh!t? From what I read it was just talking about the top ten entries would get voted on & blah blah blah. I don't think Floyd or Showtime will be selling hats or anything. This is corny sh!t companies do. Write a song or story, create a video & so on & so forth & win a prize. Who gets offended over it. They holla @ u cuz they like something u do do it or don't do it who cares man. This mfer ain't busy enough if he's writing silly ass letters to Showtime.

[uptconnect]

The reason they're soliciting is because they know the contest alone will probably not produce a lot of high quality entrants, and they're doing this in lieu of actually hiring professional artists to create promotional materials.

I had no idea about this contest until Showtime marketing figured out how to get people to talk about it in forums and such.
Enough people here don't think it's a terrible contest that having a detractor bring it up for discussion anywhere is most likely just as effective as someone selling it as an awesome contest/opportunity.

That's marketing success, is it not?
They've gotten someone who hates their contest to spend time and energy letting people know about it.

[jujigatame]

I guess getting people to produce your promotional materials for free does = marketing success. At least in a sense.

And no, I've never bought into the "any publicity is good publicity" trope.

[uptconnect]

I guess getting people to produce your promotional materials for free does = marketing success. At least in a sense.

And no, I've never bought into the "any publicity is good publicity" trope.

Your not liking it doesn't necessarily equate to negative publicity. You don't like it, but you let me and a few others know all about it and even provided us the link to it, and those of us who might not think it's pathetic, have now been keyed in to the contest, thanks to Showtime's marketing.
So Showtime marketing had one detractor when the thread went up, who in turn, passed it along to multiple people who don't think it's a bad idea.
That's a win in every sense of the word- when you can get a detractor to do your contest promotional work, and especially so, considering the contest itself is also a way to get a number of someone-elses to do your promotional work.

[jujigatame]

I'm still unsure what your point is. That Showtime has employed some sort of reverse psychology trickery on me?

I just posted this for discussion purposes. Do you honestly think this thread has any sort of effect on anything that matters?