Final Day of Quizno’s Video Contest Voting

So it’s the final day and I just got an email that was being sent to all the finalists. Basically a list of press questions to prepare for and to congratulate us on already being finalists because it means we’ve already won a years supply of free subs, but we don’t hear about the $10,000 until sometime after midnight tonight.

Speaking of which, before I go on, please vote.

Skyscraper of Sandwiches

Anyway, in the interest of giving my readers an insight into the closing stages of the contest and how hard I worked on this one, I’m going to copy and paste some of questions and my answers. Be forewarned, this is a long entry.

Mr. Levinson,

Congratulations on making it as one of our ten finalists for our Where do you Torpedo? Contest.  You probably know that as a finalist you have already won the Torpedoes for a year.  I will be contacting you after the winner is selected to make sure we get the card to you. Remember, tomorrow (7/31) is the last day for people to vote, so make sure to tell everyone to vote for your video.

In an effort to learn more about you and your experience with this promotion, we would appreciate you taking a few minutes to answer the questions below:

1) Why did you enter the “Where Did You Torpedo” contest?

I entered the “Where do you torpedo” contest because I liked the concept – I love doing short, goofy internet videos and it’s easy to tell from the Quizno’s ad campaigns that you guys have a totally excellent sense of humor and are open to things that are a little weird and off-the-wall (just take a look at your talking oven!) So I knew I could have fun with the contest. Then I was thinking about the idea, “Where do you torpedo?” and was thinking that to win, I wanted to do something to really WOW the judges and the competition, and since it’s a “where” question, I decided that a lot of travel would be great.

Well, then I was thinking “what kind of travel would be a good reason to run around the country with Quizno’s, and where would I go?” Well, I found out about the contest when I was in Chicago with my soon-to-be fiance (I went to ask her father’s blessing that weekend, actually) so she and I

were talking and I thought, “you know, Chicago has a lot of skyscrapers, and this sandwich would look awesome next to them all,” so one full day of our trip was running around to Quizno’s and grabbing subs, then running to film in front of the skyscrapers.

2) What’s the most you’ve ever eaten at Quizno’s (in a day, week or month)?

The most I’ve ever eaten has got to be the month of filming this contest. I put down 5 full torpedos in a 3 hour period when filming in Chicago, and I’d say I went through about 30-40 during my filming for the contest! I even saved a couple buns in my freezer in case I win so I can take some pictures right away to celebrate and email around to all the folks who voted for me!

3) What is the craziest thing that happened while filming this video?

The craziest thing that happened while filming is easy – in order to get the top ten tallest buildings in the US, I needed 1 in LA, near where I live. 4 in Chicago, 4 in New York, and 1 in Atlanta. So in order to get that one in Atlanta, I actually booked a flight to New York with a 5 hour layover in Atlanta. I landed at Atlanta-Hartsfield, ran out to the grab the metro (since it was rush hour) took it downtown. Used the GPS on my phone to run to the nearest Quizno’s, grabbed some torpedos, hailed a cab, tipped the cabbie 40 bucks to jump out of the cab with me and start filming me in front of the BOA building, then hopped back in the cab, back to the airport, back thru security, and back to the gate to hop on the next flight just in time to make it to New York!

4) How have you promoted your video to recruit votes? Have you done anything unusual to promote your video?

I have promoted HARD. I’ll try to list what I’ve done:

Blogging

Facebook wall and status update postings,

Mailings to my facebook group

Twitter Stuff

Got the Dayton Daily News, my hometown newspaper, to run a story about me and link to the contest.

I called random tattoo parlors all over LA in the middle of the day because I figured they wouldn’t be busy and they’d have computers, and I’d tell them I was in the contest and ask them to vote (and it even worked about 40% of the time, too!)

I called the local Venice Beach newspaper (they wouldn’t run it, but they are voting for me!)

I went into Quizno’s whenever I was passing them and told the strangers in line to vote.

My mother goes up to anyone with a laptop and asks them to vote.

I emailed every one I know and since my lady and I are getting married in a really small ceremony, I told them “you don’t have to worry about wedding gifts – just register and vote for me every day and we can consider it a wedding/engagement present!)

I wrote to bloggers all over the internet and asked them to post about it.

I google searched “Quizno’s” and “Video contest” and posted comments on every blog and forum I could find about it asking for votes.

I went to listings of “sweepstakesers” (those people who hunt for every sweepstakes in the country and enter them all) and I told them Quizno’s was giving away free subs for a year, and as long as they were registering to vote, they may as well help me out by voting for “skyscraper of sandwiches”

I even bought a facebook ad with a cartoon picture of my face that reads “Help Me win Cash from Quizno’s!” then beneath it says, “I’m one of the 10 finalists, etc. please click on this ad to vote for me! (I think it even got me a few clicks, too!)

This plus all the phone calls, personal emails, text messages to everyone I know – I couldn’t have put more work into this (and I’m just hoping the vote count reflects it!)

5) Are you willing to speak to the press about the contest on behalf of Quizno’s?

I would ABSOLUTELY speak to the press on behalf of Quizno’s! You tell me where and when, and I’ll even speak with my face stuffed full of bullets and torpedos if you want me to!

I assume that this is all in advance of a quick response on any press release the company wants to put out and doesn’t reflect on the voting because the website says it’s an all-voting contest, and I think it’s really a smart idea so they can be prepared when whoever wins, wins, and they can get stuff out right away. All in all, it’s been a really well done contest and a well run website, easy to vote in, easy to share and link the videos, etc.

Lastly, I realize I gave away some of my secret moves for votes so I won’t be surprised if others use them, but I’m hoping on the other hand to give new contest entrants a chance to see some good ways that hard work and pounding the pavement can help produce votes.

Now tell someone else to VOTE FOR ME!!!