The video contests are getting better. Here are some things Butterfinger Contest is doing that shows they’re learning from previous contests:

• Prizes are perfect for the target audience. What better of a way to inspire a videographer than to give him/her video toys?
• YouTube uses groups to manage entries, and that removes the necessity of having some proprietary entry site.
• Nice spokesperson with funny pleas to submit. Some of the earlier contests (KissKissBangBang) made entrants feel it was a privilege they afforded you.
• Butterfinger caught my attention with a banner ad on YouTube. They’re finally parking media budgets to promote the contest.
• Seeded the contest with mildly funny videos that make you say “I can do better,” as opposed to “I’ll never top that.”
• Like Mentos, every entry gets something.

What Could Be Even Butter:

• Apparently not enough publicity because the deadline is Nov. 1 and there are only a few entries that are weak. That said, most entries come last minute.
• What’s with the obligatory flash site to host these contests? Totally unnecessary overkill. I do like the Butterfinger site, but they probably spent way more money than they’ll get back. And for crying out loud, why do Coke and Butterfinger serve the videos on their site with their proprietary players. If you’re doing a contest with YouTube, do it with YouTube.
• YouTube needs to figure out a way to bridge the group page (in which contests run, and entries are posted) and the higher-impact and content rich contest site that every advertiser will want to customize. It’s feeling redundant to have both.
• The contest site is a little over themed. Is it “Follow the Finger” or “make the most out of every moment”? And we’ve got a few Monty Python copyright issues going on here.
• Good spokesperson, but how about a mascot?