Get Free Flu Shots - FluFlix Video Contest

The FluFlix Video Contest is on and while I think it’s a great campaign that is fun to watch and is getting the word out about getting a flu shot I think it has a few flaws.




First the people who really need flu shots don’t watch internet videos in large numbers. Maybe I’m wrong but when I visit nursing homes around the country I don’t see grandma and grampa giving Evolution of Dance a few extra downloads to ad to its 56 Million plus views. Maybe Wheel of Fortune, The Price is Right and reruns of Murder She Wrote but not Barbie Girl on YouTube.

Second, I have a problem with video contests. Right now some of us are getting paid to make videos on the Internet and a contest is a potential way to get paid but it’s not a sure way to get paid. If professional video producers enter contests to win money most of those who enter will not get paid but the company running the contest will say, “Hey look at all these “professional looking” videos people did for free.” Other companies will then look at those “professional looking" videos that were done for free and say, “Hey, look what this other company got for free. I’m not going to pay for online videos if I can get them for free.” And so it goes.

If you are an amateur trying to show off your talents, enter as many contests as you can enter. Have fun doing it. If you consider yourself a professional don’t work for free by entering contests. (Unless you are helping out a friend or have some other really good reason.) You will only be hurting yourself and other digital artists.