Help me figure out how to start an ongoing brush contest...

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Help me out with this.

I'm trying to come up with an ongoing and perpetual contest thread where we can showcase our favorite brushes and convince enable our B&B brothers. The idea is not really quite firm or formulated just yet but I'll tell you what I'm thinking and ask for advice on how to improve upon my idea.

Important point: It would be all in fun, so not terribly serious, but serious enough to be informative and hopefully helpful as well as enabling as all get out.

The contest would begin with someone (me) picking a category of brush such as one of these, but not limited to these.

• Boar brushes costing $10 or less.
• Boar brushes costing $20 or less.
• Synthetics costing over $30.
• Brushes made by a custom brush maker.
• Gel tipped brushes under $150.
• Old handles with new badger knots.
• Best synthetic brush to hit the market in the last year.
• Badgers costing between $300 and $500.
• Etc. Etc. Etc.

The point being there are a huge number of potential categories. I could pick from any category I could imagine but I'd want it to be narrow enough to be useful for comparison purposes and yet broad enough to include more than one brush.

Entrants to the contest would then submit their entry to the contest. Any brush within the confines of the category + a picture or pictures of the brush + a narrative designed to convince everyone else it's a brush they should acquire.

The contest would go for a specified length of time (I'm thinking maybe two weeks, but I'm not sure of this which is part of what I need some help on). At the end of that time the person starting the contest (in this case, me) would pick the winner. It would okay for them to get help from their friends in that decision (via PM) if they wanted to.

What would the winner win?

The winner would win the right and the obligation to decide on the category for the next contest. They would also become the judge for the next contest. So they'd have to post what the next brush category would be and they'd have to, at the end of the contest, declare a winner and perhaps write about why that particular brush and person won.

The idea is to pick not just the best brush but the best brush and best/most convincing most enabling sell of that brush. If that makes sense...How could it be worded better?

Seems to me this could be an ongoing contest and a lot of fun, provide some friendly competition, and also be informative and educational.

I'd like to have it be one ongoing thread. I wonder if the thread would become cumbersome and lose its punch. It would I think unless everyone started off by reading the first post and the rules. Thus the title of the thread might be something like this...

Perpetual Best Brush Contest | Please Read First Post For the Rules

I'm soliciting feedback, pointers, and any helpful advice you might have concerning a contest of this sort. Particularly I'm looking for anything you see which would be a stumbling block to implementing it or keeping it going. Also feedback suggesting it's a terrible idea and nobody would find it interesting or fun.

It seems better to me to work out a good game plan in advance and address any issues now as opposed to trying to tweak the contest down the road, particularly since the first post with the rules would be sort of a thread sticky and couldn't be modified down the road.

Should you have to actually own the brush to submit it? I kinda think you should. Or at least you used to own it and have photos and an opinion (as in, I wish I hadn't sold this one). I can see this one other ways.

I think a person could enter as many brushes to each contest as they felt like entering.

It sounds fun to me, but what about you?

Thanks and happy shaves,

Jim

 

[never-stop-learning]

Great idea for a contest!

Pics and descriptions to convince our fellow B&B Members that this brush is the one!

I think I cam do that.

Suggestion: I'd run it for one week, instead of two, to keep things moving along.

 

[Esox]

I think one week too, as long as there are enough participants, which I believe there will be.

Pics and descriptions to convince our fellow B&B Members that this brush is the one!

And why. Thats what I want to know. Explain to me why a high dollar brush is better, or, why a very inexpensive brush is better.

This is all about soliciting opinions and understanding other perspectives. I think its a great idea!

 

[never-stop-learning]

And why. Thats what I want to know. Explain to me why a high dollar brush is better, or, why a very inexpensive brush is better.

+1, definitely agree.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I like what you gentlemen are saying about why.

Even if we're talking about, let's say, "Best badger brush for $40 or less," there's still room to say all sorts of things about why.

• This brush, brush ABC, is best because I've found its performance every bit the equal of other brushes, such as brush X, which cost 5 times as much. The handle isn't as nice, but the knot is either equally good, or so close you'd ask yourself why spend five times its price? Going further, while brush ABC may not have the luxurious softness of brush Y which cost 12 times its price, brush ABC is so far it feels like its spoiling me, and I doubt I'd enjoy life more with brush Y; in fact I sold mine and don't miss it (but it is softer).

Part of what I want to emphasize is the need to sell the brush. That absolutely included why you'd spend your money on this brush, perhaps even though you don't "need" it, instead of saving up to buy brush Y.

No Madison Avenue selling you something you don't want or need, but, worse, you very own B&B brothers enabling with effort. Points off for excessive hyperbole and fraudulent presentations, right?

Obviously much is subjective, perhaps including what makes one brush better than another. That said, I know some brushes are better than others even if all that means is they please me more.

Switching gears...

What about having the person who won the last event and is charged with the next event (contest) decide on the length of the event within a range of time from 7 to 14 days? Or should I just pick one week and stick with it or two weeks and stick with that?

Thanks, Mike and David.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Esox]

There are lots of reasons "why", pro and con, which is what I think might be most helpful to those thinking about brushes. Enthusiasm and spirited discussion is a good thing as long as it stays respectable. I dont see that being an issue with the B&B membership though.

As far as duration goes, it would depend on active participants. Maybe start at two weeks with you leading the campaign and as participation grows, adjusting the duration to one week.

I think its a good idea for the winner to take the reigns and pick the next winner and/or time frame.

I'm sure others will chime in with ideas too. It's an interesting concept, Jim.