OK first off let me start by saying Thank you for all your amazing support, and so sorry that it has ended up this way!
If you have been following the badly organized, madeforthepeople.com competition then you will already be aware of some of whats been happening.. if not read : here
and I am not going to sob story the rights and wrongs any longer, we tried, we took a stand, we made a difference and we made a mistake.
We posted in Get Online Votes, as mentioned in our previous posts, AFTER contacting Mercedes SEVERAL times about the competition, very early on, and after receiving NO response from them, We were exploring avenues about how people get votes. This site works where you post your link and others in contests look and vote in the hope you vote in exchange for them in their contest, no money is passed hands, no fake accounts are used, no mass voting.
We informed Mercedes that we had posted in this style of website via email, and stated that in doing this you receive few response, and we were therefore concerned at the mass numbers of votes the other contestants were jumping, NO RESPONSE!
We are also aware others brought this to their attention around the same time with NO RESPONSE!
then obviously I checked out how the others were getting their huge votes, found they were BUYING them, which I consider to be totally unfair, so once again I contacted Mercedes and received NO RESPONSE, then I blogged about the whole thing, and surprise surprise Mercedes take note when my supporters all contact them, I stated in this blog post that I had posted on Get Online Votes, site, and said that this method takes alot of effort, (we only posted once on this site and recieved 3 responces - one of which stated they could not get the site to load!) inorder to use this site you have to post on eeryone elses posts saying you have voted this takes ALOT of time and wasn't something I followed up with, Mercedes changed there T & C and forgot to mention the vote swapping, instead ringing me up to praise me and make out I was fine, then AFTER I tell all my friends and supporters Mercedes are doing the right thing, and re blog saying they had done the right thing, they suddenly decided its fine to disqualify me, maybe because they were happy I had rectified there awful situation they had got themselves in.
But I guess if you are sticking strictly to terms and conditions (even if they are brought about mid way through), and it is then decided that it is not ethical to ask for votes in an exchange for a vote, (even tho I never stated that I would return votes for me in any of my posts;) then it is only fair that everyone doing so is excluded, even if that seems immensely unfair :(
We wish all the other entrants luck, and hope that Mercedes eventually find their winner.
So sorry once again, still pleased we managed to get the vote buyers disqualified, so I guess as much heart ache as this has been we did manage to prevent people buying mass votes from scooping the prize.
Hopefully this truly has been a wake up call to anyone, wanting to run a competition, or enter one!
I think its disgusting that Mercedez has disqualified you. It was you that needed to prove that some of the entrants were cheating and because you had to go on the website to prove this Mercedes have done this to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteMERCEDES you ought to be ashamed of yourseleves .. Did you actually have a van to give away or has it been one big scam.
At least this family had all genuine votes and I can guarantee if you started this family back to the ZERO mark they would still come out on top because of all the family and friends that love them.
DISGUSTING is the politest word I can think off ..
Mrs C Barrass
thanks Cherly, I do appreciate everyones support I truly do, we tried our hardest, we didn't 'pay' for votes, however we did post on the get online vote site,all be it with little thought and no interaction, if they concider this to be 'unfair' even tho i did email them several times before posting on that site, and recieved no reply,and I emailed them many times after stating i had posted, they never said i shouldn't of,but still, if they have now decided to 'amend' their t&c's and become so morally correct, then ok, obvously we are gutted, we would have loved the van, and we tried our hardest, with our entry, and campaigne to get support.
ReplyDeleteIt should have been picked on merit,your video was great :(
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire, hey ho I won't get my fingers burnt twice thats for sure comps from now on will be ones picked on merit only, and hopefully ran a whole lot better!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely disgusting !!! Am sickened for you and mercedes won't ever have my business ! X
ReplyDeleteOh dear Sarah :(
ReplyDeleteNick said he bets it was that cheating scum that complained about it, that ended in you being diqualified, seeing as you got him disqualified too!
But it's definately unfair, how Mercedes see that as cheating, if you're only exploring the avenue of it :(
tbh I have no idea whats cracking off when i have the strength i will do a more indepth post about the comp and all its flaws and then people can make their own minds up!
ReplyDeleteYou Are REAL PEOPLE Who Voted In A MADE FOR THE PEOPLE Competition Run By Mercedes !!!! --- Everybody PLEASE Express Your Feelings YOU ARE NOW THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN HELP THE REAL PEOPLE TO WIN xxx- Unbelieveable That By Highlighting Cheats Who Pay For Votes or Use Third Party Groups As A Marketing Tool & Having Had To Investigate These Sites Sarah & Her Family Have Become Victims :((x Mercedes Head Office Need To Know About This Now Only REAL FRIENDS CAN NOW HELP xx
ReplyDeleteSo sad! Your video was the best and ALL of your votes were real! You did what was right and deserve to be in the contest!
ReplyDeleteSo very sad about this horrible decision! I have lost whatever respect I had for Mercedes. So not fair!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSuperb idea I had to stop everything to do it and its a perfect solution so listen up guys this is amazing for a solution.
ReplyDeleteEveryone wants a fair outcome and Mercedes want to be ultimately fair.
Van would cost £20,000 so split the money to a seperate prize to each finalist £2,000 each. That way people can donate there prize to charity or pay back the money spent on votes anything they choose. Everyone is happy and Mercedes look the Most fairest of them all. Win win situation and all complaints end full stop from anyone as its a great idea. Everyone wins now how can not be the best solution. Plus it completely dimisses the argument that there is no prize as everyone wins.
Just a thought but im sick of all the whining and if that would be possible how can anyone say it isnt fair end of.
This was a great video
ReplyDeleteShame on that company! Sounds like they made up the rules after they started the contest!
ReplyDeleteIt would be interesting to know how many votes you had from this 'Vote exchange site' ....... is it something you can find out. I expect it was a very small amount of votes if any.
ReplyDeleteI voted for you as did my 2 sons James and Tom and they both took the time to watch the video and thought the song was a potential advert hit and if it had been commissioned by Mercedes it would have cost them a large amount of money.
If you had not been up against those two cheaters I am sure you would never have gone to look at the 'Exchange' site. Mercedes should take that into account. If I was running their campaign I know that is what I would have done.
All best wishes or the future,
Patrick Hogan.
I still say this whole thing sucks and your video was awesome! I'm sorry this whole thing happened to you guys and better luck next time. :-(
ReplyDelete- Jennifer L. (mom of Maggie and Trouble)
we truly appreciate every ones support, and thank you all for saying you enjoyed the song, we are just going to make a new one for you all... watch this space :) xx
ReplyDeleteIts discracefull how MB have behaved I really think you should contact the watchdog team Sarah that would make MB sit up and listen !!especially when Anne Robinson gives them that look lol MB obviously dont care about everyone who voted for your video Max is very cross to lol grrrrrrrrrrr @ MB !!!
ReplyDeleteYour video was awesome! I wish I could have voted a million times, you deserved it! So sorry this had to end so early. Have a beautiful day!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely bloody disgusting how Mercedes have behaved in all this by disqualifying you. Really not fair xx
ReplyDeleteit was so unfair for Mercedes to disqualify you...you were the honest one...I really loved your video; it was the best one there & had merit, that is why I VOTED FOR YOU and so did my Lexi. Mercedes should be ashamed of themselves for what they did...They need to re-instate you & your legit votes....and Jackson, my Lexi thinks your handsome...Sarah know that we support you!!!
ReplyDeleteall i can say is if that happened in the USA americans would be all over it ;-) I know we have a reputation for being sue happy, but we are more JUSTICE happy. This just sickens me. A good family played by the rules and they are disqualified b/c the rules change daily/hourly??!! Like i said before, if they are cutting corners that bad, i'd be afraid to drive one of their products out of safety concerns, because they have zero integrity. whose left in the competition? People with 12 votes, 30 votes. Helluva competition MERCEDES.
ReplyDeleteIf mercedes pulled that here they would be crucified. If mercedes wants to save face, the only option I see is cancel the contest and start over with 1 set of rules from day ONE and cut the crap. We will all vote again ♥ To do this within DAYS before the competition ended? Absurd. Boycott Mercedes for their stupidity and dishonesty. I don't know what the laws are in the UK, but there has to be a law to protect you from their fraudulent contest. You LISTENING MERCEDES? I invite you to come to the USA and play your
ReplyDeletegames LOL
When people buy votes and you do it to to try to win, it becomes no longer a competition for votes but could be considered gambling as each person has to input an amount they dare to stake in vote buying against the odds that the other persons involed have not staked up to that amount. This is where it becomes a gamling condition becuase like a poker game it is who holds the best hand in the end. What the hell has that got to fo with best video? Also when did anyone say vote buying in 1000's was anything like posting for what looks like hardly any replies on a request page. Looks like it is just a load of crap.
ReplyDeleteDidnt they want a voice of vito I see in the media? well surely singing is a good idea and nobody else was singing in the finals, dosn't that say something? hmm stupid stupid!!!!!!!!!!
yeah great point, we looked at made-for-the-people on youtube, and it sure does say the competition voice of vito, well how the hell can a photo sing or talk? So maybe they want a ringtone off that mobile phone ber ding ber ding woot great voice merc love it!
ReplyDeleteMe, my husband, my son and friends voted for you, and we're really sorry about this coming out from MB. We love the video, the song and more than ever Jackson.After reading your blog and following you for a while, it seems you are part of my family. Wishing you and your family all the best,
ReplyDeleteMercedes Benz do not have a good name for moral behaviour - just look at their war record.
ReplyDeletesome of the things I have heard about Mercedes since this has all come about have been truly shocking, there I was thinking a huge company would always behaviour in a sensible organized honest manner... how very wrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is not fair.....
ReplyDeleteyes i am in a comp now where they are saying that vote swapping is allowed and i am gutted so glad you sorted it out but gutted that you did not win
ReplyDelete