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Best Job In The World winner announced and other copycat contests try to cash in.
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Ben Southall, a 34 year old charity worker from the UK, beat out 34,000 other hopefuls for the Best Job In The World. He is an adventure junkie has bungee jumped, ran marathons, has driven throughout Africa, rides mountain bikes and is a self proclaimed fish in the water. Not to mention he has even ridden an ostrich.
In exchange for living in Queensland and enjoying the sand and sun, Southall will receive $100,000. His only responsibilities are a few minor tasks, as well as his contribution to his blog, where he chronicles about his new life at the Great Barrier Reef. It seems like the Best Job In The World has lived up to its promises, however his new popularity has created some critics.
The contest was an instant success, spreading furiously throughout the media, the blogosphere, Facebook, YouTube, and personal email. Within the first two days of the contest, about 7,500 people applied for the chance to have the Best Job In The World, and it quickly became a viral marketing hit. The success of such a marketing campaign has most likely affected the way the tourist industry promotes their products; at the very least it has placed more importance on online advertising and campaigns.
The immense popularity of the Queensland contest has definitely struck a nerve, and other companies are trying to get their fair share of the dollars. Soon after the initial success of the Queensland endeavor, imitators tried to garner success from the momentum of the first contest. The Next Best Job competition offered the winning contestant the chance to stay at the most exclusive hotels and report on 'truly unique and mind-blowing experiences normally reserved for the rich and famous.' However the contest has since halted, due to events they will not disclose. Their website has this message:
Due to unforeseen events last week in the Canadian tourism industry, we have unfortunately been forced to postpone The Next Best Job competition. We thank those who have submitted applications and you will all be notified should the contest resume. Thanks again for your interest and good luck in all your endeavors.
Recently while stumbling across career sites, I came across another contest called The Big Trip. Under the guise of a travel writer assignment, it is in fact a contest. Their website says they are hiring for the ever popular 'greatest job in the world.' Interested candidates apply for a chance to become a travel correspondent for the company and spend 12 weeks traveling within the US 'in style.' Just like the Best Job In The World contest, the winner will be required to blog about their experiences as well as film travel webisodes. The salary for this dream job is $50,000.
The succeeding contests will probably not have the same success as the first, which has already reached over $110 million in international publicity, since the idea is no longer fresh and new. However the effects have been felt and marketers are taking note. Viral marketing success is precarious and unpredictable, but once achieved can amazing results.
Ben Southall has already started his 'work' and you can check out his experiences on his blog.
For more info: Best Job In The World: Island Caretaker Blog.
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