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‘Best of the Best’ Title Could be Second Rate |
Two years ago, Sacramento’s NBC television affiliate launched the KCRA A-List, a competition purported to find the best businesses in the region in a wide range of categories, from day spas to bicycle shops to health clubs to more than a dozen restaurant categories. Even though my restaurant had been in business for just a couple of months, a customer nominated Carpe Vino in the “Most Romantic” category.
I find such reader-driven polls to be particularly useless because they are normally won by advertisers of the publications or stations sponsoring the competitions. And the playing field can be easily tampered with, which I set out to demonstrate when I sent an e-mail to the nearly 2,700 recipients of “Window on Old Town,” an e-newsletter I had been writing for four years.
I told my subscribers that I could care less about the contest, but I suggested it would be very cool if we conspired to attempt to move the needle. How outlandish would it be if a relatively unknown establishment in the foothills beat out the big boys in Sacramento?
To simplify voting, I embedded a link to KCRA in the newsletter. Within an hour, my restaurant moved from deep in the pack to number one in the rankings, and we never looked back.
This exercise demonstrated clearly to me the power of technology and how it can be used to manipulate reality. It also made me a firm believer that “Best Of” competitions are senseless commercial exercises.
So when I was alerted by an advertising salesperson that Carpe Vino had won the Auburn Journal’s “Best of the Best” competition in the “Wine Tasting” category, my reaction was . . . “how nice.” That knowledge and eight bucks will buy you a very pleasant glass of chardonnay in my joint.
The Auburn Journal’s 12th annual awards publication, a 48-page supplement, was distributed in last Sunday’s newspaper. With my apologies to the winners of the abundant award categories, this publication did little to illuminate what’s best in this town . . . unless, of course, there is a lifetime achievement award for “Best Way to Suck $40,000 out of Auburn Without Breaking a Sweat.”
“Best Of “ promotions tend to be hideously profitable for publishers because they create as many narrow, niche categories as possible. Invariably, winners go nuts when they get the news . . . even if they are the only entrant in a given category. In its latest effort, the Auburn Journal convinced 106 winners out of the total of 143 to cough up a minimum of $295 to say””thanks” to the community for voting them #1, an astounding conversion rate just shy of 75%.
While I am a regular advertiser in the Auburn Journal (it reaches my audience), and while I do appreciate my customers making me #1 in my own mind, I said “no thanks” to my smiling ad rep when offered the chance to buy in. What’s the point, since I operate the only wine shop in this town (though two wine tasting rooms are now in business here, owned by wineries located in Placer County).
These kinds of contests generally make the losing businesses very unhappy. We have two funeral chapels in town, but we could have only one winner, even though both establishments do a great, final service for Auburnites. Perhaps next year, a “Best Crematorium” category could be added so everybody’s a winner – just like tee-ball.
Auburn has a single butcher shop, a lone salad shop, a solitary Karaoke Bar, uno seafood restaurant and but one television store. Guess what? They all won! Isn’t it grand to be the best!?!
The local Harley dealer won best “motorcycle shop” award, which could have some unpleasant repercussions. The bad boys running the independent shops might not appreciate being overlooked. And AJ staffers in the market for a tattoo would be prudent to choose the Auburn Tattoo Company.
I found it odd that the best wait person did not work at the best restaurant; nor was the best wine tasting found at the best winery. And it was a bit strange that the best pharmacist was not employed by the best drug store. Likewise, the best mechanic was wrenching in a garage that failed to make it as best auto repair facility.
On the other hand, I was not shocked to learn that categories for “Best Law Enforcement Official” and “Best Elected Official” were both won by Placer County employees. Similarly, this was hardly a stunner: the AuburnJournal.com won for “Best Local Web-site” (sic).
Some important categories were simply ignored. When you real need one, for example, it would be immensely usefully to have insight into who is Auburn’s best bail bondsman. And when APD has you pulled over at 2 a.m., you might want to know who ranks as this burg’s leading criminal attorney.
And what about best ice cream shop? Best smoothie maker? Best columnist for a weekly newspaper? These are questions that need to be answered.
And, oh yeah, who would you vote for in the “Best Newspaper” category?
Special note to Lucas Carlucci: The Savage will respond to your letter in next week’s edition of the Sentinel.
Gary Moffat is a journalist and owner of Carpe Vino in Old Town Auburn. He can be reached at
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