Comments on: Best? Really? http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/ just a bunch of useless junk. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:54:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Wade http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/comment-page-1/#comment-1136 Wade Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:49:52 +0000 http://www.signalresponse.com/?p=281#comment-1136 Yep. I totally get this. What you've said there was more in the direction that this post started in. This is a truncated version of that long version which read really bitter and, well, mean and ended with me coming to the conclusion that I hoped they kept it up because there was likely money to be made by the person who designed better "Thanks for voting us Number One!" ads. Not really the right kind of thing to post. I'm trying to be less snarky! How'm I doin'? Yep. I totally get this. What you’ve said there was more in the direction that this post started in. This is a truncated version of that long version which read really bitter and, well, mean and ended with me coming to the conclusion that I hoped they kept it up because there was likely money to be made by the person who designed better “Thanks for voting us Number One!” ads. Not really the right kind of thing to post. I’m trying to be less snarky! How’m I doin’?

]]> By: Emmet http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/comment-page-1/#comment-1135 Emmet Mon, 28 Apr 2008 19:43:44 +0000 http://www.signalresponse.com/?p=281#comment-1135 I was no longer involved with the p-dog when they started their "Best of" feature, but these things all come down to numbers. They're presented in a way that make it seem like they want to celebrate the local, but the locals could give a shit, and there's always (or maybe for a long time to come, at least) going to be more people who eat McDonald's fries than some bistro's transcendent paprika yam fries with aioli. Out here in Vancouver, Starbucks regularly wins "Best Coffee" even though Cafe Napoli exists, which is clearly the best coffee EVER. But I never fill in those Best Of forms, so it's my fault my favourites don't win. But the polls serve two pretty excellent purposes: 1) you get to gauge what yr readership really cares about--which can be scary, I remember a cover band won Best Regina Band one year--and maybe they were Regina's best band that year. There's been rough times. But nobody, certainly not somebody arguing (not entirely selflessly) for more coverage of the local music scene in the local media wants quasi-scientific proof that the readership really doesn't give a shit. 2) Telling a business they've been voted #1 by yr readers is a great way to sell them an ad--or at least start building a relationship that might one day result in an ad. I was no longer involved with the p-dog when they started their “Best of” feature, but these things all come down to numbers. They’re presented in a way that make it seem like they want to celebrate the local, but the locals could give a shit, and there’s always (or maybe for a long time to come, at least) going to be more people who eat McDonald’s fries than some bistro’s transcendent paprika yam fries with aioli. Out here in Vancouver, Starbucks regularly wins “Best Coffee” even though Cafe Napoli exists, which is clearly the best coffee EVER. But I never fill in those Best Of forms, so it’s my fault my favourites don’t win.
But the polls serve two pretty excellent purposes:
1) you get to gauge what yr readership really cares about–which can be scary, I remember a cover band won Best Regina Band one year–and maybe they were Regina’s best band that year. There’s been rough times. But nobody, certainly not somebody arguing (not entirely selflessly) for more coverage of the local music scene in the local media wants quasi-scientific proof that the readership really doesn’t give a shit.
2) Telling a business they’ve been voted #1 by yr readers is a great way to sell them an ad–or at least start building a relationship that might one day result in an ad.

]]> By: Kallen http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/comment-page-1/#comment-1134 Kallen Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:09:41 +0000 http://www.signalresponse.com/?p=281#comment-1134 I have friends who would consider medium fries a meal in itself so yeah, that's probably why New York Fries etc. exists. I have friends who would consider medium fries a meal in itself so yeah, that’s probably why New York Fries etc. exists.

]]> By: Wade http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/comment-page-1/#comment-1131 Wade Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:51:48 +0000 http://www.signalresponse.com/?p=281#comment-1131 That's true. I think they did win in Calgary for a couple of years. Maybe every year. I know it's tough. The whole thing hinges on the readership. In Regina, for the Prairie Dog, the readership I assume, leans left. It ends up being more of a disappointment because you assume that left-leaners are predisposed to support the underdog or small business. When they don't, it's kind of disheartening. I also don't really understand why fries seem to be on every one of these lists. I mean, it's a starch, a side. You'd think you'd only really care about the mains. That’s true. I think they did win in Calgary for a couple of years. Maybe every year. I know it’s tough. The whole thing hinges on the readership. In Regina, for the Prairie Dog, the readership I assume, leans left. It ends up being more of a disappointment because you assume that left-leaners are predisposed to support the underdog or small business. When they don’t, it’s kind of disheartening. I also don’t really understand why fries seem to be on every one of these lists. I mean, it’s a starch, a side. You’d think you’d only really care about the mains.

]]> By: Kallen http://www.signalresponse.com/2008/04/best-really/comment-page-1/#comment-1130 Kallen Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:33:28 +0000 http://www.signalresponse.com/?p=281#comment-1130 I may be wrong but I swear that McDonald's also wins best fries in FFWD year after year. It proves that their fries goes beyond any anti-corporate or anti-disgusting food bias people may hold against them (which I don't understand, there are way better fast food fries than McDonald's fries) but to a greater extent, that these kind of "best of city" polls doesn't exactly highlight local business like we'd all like to think. I may be wrong but I swear that McDonald’s also wins best fries in FFWD year after year.

It proves that their fries goes beyond any anti-corporate or anti-disgusting food bias people may hold against them (which I don’t understand, there are way better fast food fries than McDonald’s fries) but to a greater extent, that these kind of “best of city” polls doesn’t exactly highlight local business like we’d all like to think.

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