Earlier this month, we announced an essay contest. Here’s how it worked:
This week, we are encouraging all of our readers to submit a 7 word essay on how they would spend $50 from First Fidelity Bank. The essay that shows the best combination of wit, humor, creativity (and appropriateness) will appear on the First Fidelity Bank ad that’s displayed on this very site, and the person who coins the winning phrase will win a $50 VISA Gift Card courtesy of First Fidelity Bank. In addition to that, we’ll also throw in your choice of a Lost Ogle T-Shirt, and even the opportunity to get a picture taken with Jim Traber. That’s kind of cool, right?
Since announcing the contest, we’ve received over 120 essay submissions through either user comments or emails. This past weekend, Clark Matthews and I combed through all of them and selected three to put up to a vote of Lost Ogle readers. The essay that receives the most votes wins. The three essays are…
Wait.
Before we get to the finalists, we should mention there were many good essays submitted, and that many of them were worthy of winning. However, since the winning essay will appear in an actual advertisement for a very reputable company on this website, we had to be selective with the three finalists chosen. That means we couldn’t select an essay that incorporated a notable person’s full name and/or business, and we had to be cautious not to offend an entire class or demographic of people. Normally, those are things we embrace and encourage, but since we are sellouts and enjoy having a premier sponsor, we softened up a little bit.
Anyway, after the jump you can see the three essays we selected and then vote for your favorite. The essay that receives the most votes wins. Have fun.
I would get Val on the Gentner. – Micheal
This would totally be worth $50. It would probably be worth $50 more to get Val to say to you “XXX Road” or “Pottawattamie County.”
Get my last named changed to Ogle. – Bonnie
This was an email submission, so you didn’t see it in the comments. I’m not sure how much it costs to get your name changed to Ogle, but if you’re starting out in the local news business, it probably wouldn’t be too bad of an investment.
There is only one choice, First Fidelity. – Chet
Yeah, so this may not be funny or clever, but it is incredibly accurate. Plus, it will probably make First Fidelity incredibly happy to see this make the final three.
What is your favorite essay? Total Voters: 349
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P.S. - Tomorrow we’ll highlight some of the submissions that for some reason didn’t make it to the final three.
I have to point out that it’s actually “Gentner”, not “Getner.”
I would also like to point out that my original comment had the correct spelling.
http://bit.ly/17RFpv
Still, it’s an honor just to be nominated!
I was about to point that out, too. We are on a typo roll…
Voted.
Good luck!
what the hell? are you kidding me?
the last choice isn’t even legit! this is supposed to be a contest on “how they would spend $50 from First Fidelity Bank”.
if i asked a random person “how would you spend $50 from First Fidelity Bank”, and they replied “There is only one choice, First Fidelity”, i would slap them in the face for giving me a response that made no sense, and then i would give them 50 little paper cuts with my $50 bill.
that last choice is such a hopeless plug that it makes TLO look worse than ‘Podcasts Don’t Suck’ and their constant, badly done advertising for Wimgo. yeah, i went there…
If “There is only one choice, First Fidelity” wins, we’ll know that this contest had all the legitimacy of an Iranian election.
Will we get to vote tomorrow for the “peoples” champ?
Get the Lost Ogles their edge back.
Just kidding. Don’t yell at me.
Hmmn. Maybe there is a reason we chose number three… and maybe it’s working.
Hope the ones that didn’t make it are better than these…
Youch! TLO fans don’t obvious shameless plugs?
Someone took a dump in everyone’s oatmeal this week.
Hey! Somebody had to suck up to the sponsor.
Lighten up guys. It’s called reverse psychology.
Yeah. You guys should have went with:
“Invest in the market. I dare you.”
@ Joey
Your right! If this were a “Mommy blog” I would swear everyone was having a severe bout of collective PMS!
Man, these are all kinda disappointing.
I am impressed that someone had a $50 bill. Sometimes I have a $20. But more often a $5 and about 3 singles.
I just want to add that it is an honor just to be nominated by this wonderful web site.