Billboard Video

This is video playing in Times Square and elsewhere, with all of the winners. Take a look!

Posted by aboutdotme

12 responses to Billboard Video

  2. Holly Jahangiri

    Yay, Coach Nicole and Sparkpeople.com!! I didn’t even realize we were competing against each other – but I’m so glad you were one of the winners. You rock!

    Congrats to the other winners, as well!

  5. Brooke Woods

    THANKS ABOUT.ME for this incredible opportunity!!! Had a blast in NYC last week meeting all of you! 🙂

  6. Radie

    I question the legitimacy of the winners.. It seems like only businesses or “people as a brand” were chosen.

    I was SUPPOSEDLY in the top 5% for almost the entire voting process.. but because I wasnt promoting anything (other then being an awesome dad), I feel I was overlooked (or outrigtht not included) in the results.

    Is there anyway to find out the true final scores?

  7. lauraglu

    Hi Radie – we aren’t publicizing all of the final stats. That said, we had tens of thousands of entrants, which leads the 5% to being a pretty large number. It’s still a great place to be and we appreciate the efforts everyone made!

    Thanks,
    Laura

  8. Radie

    Well cant argue with numbers, right?

    I was just so disappointed with the winners chosen. Nothing against any of them at all.. but as I noted before.. the common thread is all about the promotion of something/someone.

    I really thought there was a place for the about.me profiles that just represent regular people that arent trying to sell or push anything.

    I thought with 10 profiles being chosen, you would have tapped into the various types of uses/users of the about.me community.

    Maybe the location of the billboard (Times Square) slanted the decision to the more “profit seeking” profiles? It is hard to hard to ignore the connection or the sense it makes…

    Still I just wish there was a place for us normal folk.

  9. Ricardo Murillo

    The about.me contest was about getting the most votes that you could, it had nothing to do with wether you were “normal” or any type of Unnormal business owner.
    Why are you “disappointed” with the winners? We worked hard to get our votes just as hard as you, harder than you if anything. Like you said you weren’t promoting anything other than being a dad….And being a dad is great but maybe just maybe you just had to push that a little bit harder my friend.
    I wish to say that I am normal, even though I am a photographer and own a clothing label. To make an even crazier statement I am a Dad too! Not once but Twice..for I have 2 beautiful boys. (They think I’m pretty normal by the way).
    It’s not like the winners were millionaires, I just believe we wanted it and we busted our butts for it. I’m just a young man trying to make it.
    I don’t know I just don’t understand the gist of your complaint. There were people from all walks of life that entered the contest, from crazies with business’ to regular “normal” Joe’s/Jane’s. About.me/AOL gave a huge opportunity to people to jump on this and we should all be thankful that they even reached out in this way. I wouldn’t so much question the “legitimacy” or “vote count” in this case, If I were you Radie I would question “Did I do enough?”

  11. Brad Starks

    I first found out about “About.Me” about ….I think like 2 or 3 years ago. I recall that not many people where on it and I think there was a waiting list to try the “beta” version. I reserved my name & waited. Once I got the OK to build out my page, I noticed a lot of pretty cool & accomplished profiles there already. I felt like such a pea brain, underachiever after reading some of the bios on the people that had splash pages. I swear I wanted to set myself on fire and jump out the widow. They where all geniuses! However, cooler thoughts prevailed and I went about leaning how to use the “About.Me” platform and immersed myself into the experience. I found out you don’t have to be one of these “Super Brain, Captains of Industry” types to be included. About.Me enjoys “Normal” people….and they CELEBRATE Crazy!! 😉 Allow me to explain:

    Seeing the announcement for the “New Face of About.Me” contest got me super excited as I’m a HUGE fan and major user when it comes to social media in all its forms. I have a fair amount of “online real estate” and I thought if I could get all of my 5,000+ pals and acquaintances to vote for me at least once, a “normal” guy like me might have a chance up against some of those people in those profiles I almost committed “Hari-Kari” over.

    When I read that to win you had to get your friends to vote EVERY 24 HOURS for more then a month, I was like.. “How the hell do I do that without LOSING all my 5,000+ friends?” Talking from experience, I’ve been on the business end of mass spam emails from models that want to be voted “Miss Ridged Tool 2012”.
    I have to admit, after I vote 3 times for em, I’m so DONE! The person that’s sending you the email isn’t really doing anything other then bugging the hell out of you everyday to get what THEY want. As a voter, what do you get out of it once they win?

    It was at that moment that I realized a terrifying fact: “I’M NOW ASKING MY 5,000+ FRIENDS TO VOTE ME “MISS RIDGED TOOL 2012!!”

    How do you get everyone to WANT to vote for you? It was a huge problem as I have friends that are not easy to please and love me as they do, all are super busy as well. I’m just a normal guy. What can I give them back for all these votes I need?

    Entertain them! Create a good time! Show them you’re willing to make the ride a fun one if they stay with you all the way to the end. All the other “Super Brains” with tricked out websites and profiles that are in the contest might have you beat anyways, but I figured at the very least, I would GAIN more attention to who I am and what I did to get votes.

    My attitude was: “I don’t have to win the contest. I just have to WIN at being in it…..” 😉

    With the help of a very smart friend, we wanted to create a video character named Bethesda Jackson who would be the person that was determined to get people to vote for “Brad Starks”. Bethesda Jackson is a combination of many of the “Wanna Be” models that I’ve met over the years in the fashion business that have all the passion of a supermodel, but lack that “X-factor” and looks that are needed to really make it in the big time. My great friend, Lena Castles, has had experience working with artists and is a social networking wiz when it comes to organizing,using twitter,shooting video & editing, production, etc. She would come up with an idea and I would dress up in drag, put on the an insane long, blond wig, and just start “channeling” my inner crazy. It was perfect!!!

    We saw a HUGE jump in votes after posting the 3rd video. Lena made so many smart decisions as to how to expose the videos and the “Bethesda” character online via twitter and youtube for maximum effect. Bethesda does a “Hair Flip” that is her signature move. When she does it, you hear the old 1976 “Charlie’s Angels” theme music. Lena sent a direct link to the Pantene beauty company and we got a direct response from them! They LOVED THE HAIR FLIP AND BETHESDA WAS GREAT!! Votes poured in from all over. We started a Facebook page, Twitter account, and we added new videos to youtube every chance we got. Without Lena and her involvement in the “Bethesda Jackson” videos and everything else, my face wouldn’t be up in Times Square at all. She is the best!

    There is a lot more to this story but I just wanted to say that the entire experience has taught me a TON about social media and open my eyes to how it can “create” you as a brand if you’re willing to take a chance and reach out to people. Being “normal” is the best edge I think you can have in any circumstance. People can relate to you more on a personal level. Most big brands have forgotten that. Getting yourself out there online to interact with people is the key. Creating and sharing a unique experience.

    People will forget what you say to them, but they will never forget how you make them FEEL….

    P.S. I’d like to thank ALL my friends, new friends and those I have yet to meet that voted! Thank you all for helping make Bethesda Jackson & I both….. “MISS RIDGED TOOL 2012!” 😉

  12. Brooke Woods

    I also am a “normal” person that was in the top 10…I’m a single mom who works 2 jobs and just happens to be a musician who was fortunate enough to win a contest the same week as my single is being released on an indie label. I drive a pontiac vibe and make hamburger helper for dinner most nights…my life for the most part is very UNglamorous….lol. I worked my butt off to get votes from facebook friends and twitter followers! I met some of the other winners at the event in NYC, & every one of them were hard-working, normal people who are just trying to make their dreams come true!

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