FrozenCPU.com $500 Banner Contest! -- Winner Announced!

[GlitterKill]

Winner announcement below!

Our friends at FrozenCPU.com are itching for a new banner to represent their store and they have decided to sponsor an OUTSTANDING giveaway in order to get it! Here is what they are looking for, and I quote:

"I am willing to give a 500 dollar gift card to FrozenCPU for the following.

- New Flash Based Top Banner (728x90) that "outshines" the current one........

- Run the contest. 4 week contest.

- I will decide the winner.

- The banner needs to be OFF THE CHAIN.

- any one is eligible from anywhere in the world"

So that is what you are aiming for... a SLICK flash-based banner that is sure to attract attention and represents what FrozenCPU has to offer. The banner should be 728px wide by 90px tall.

Entries should be posted here and/or email them to me at glit...@pcapex.com. (the email link contains anti-spam measures so be sure to click it for the full email address.) The entry deadline is August 5th at midnight CST.

Good luck to all that enter and I look forward to seeing your entries!

Just so you have a better idea of what you can get with $500 at FrozenCPU, here are some sample shopping lists that come in under $500!

Pimp Case + Pimp Water Cooling
Lian-Li Classical Series PC-G75B
Swiftech H20-120 "PREMIUM" CPU Liquid Cooling Kit (Universal Mount)
12" Dual CCFL
+ More leftover for misc gear!

Modding Supplies Galore
Ultra 39 Piece Premium Computer Tool Kit
CaseArts PSU Modding Tool Kit
Rounded Cables
LED Lighting
Cable Sleeving
+ MUCH MUCH More to choose from!

Super Cooling
CoolIT Systems Freezone Universal CPU Cooler - Preassembled Internal TEC Water Cooling Kit 754/939/AM2/775/478
Enermax Enlobal Marathon 120 x 25mm Case Fan
Swiftech MCX159-CU Universal Chipset Heatsink
+ More!

I'm sure you get the idea... they have A LOT to offer and you can get quite a bit of pimp gear for $500!

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Well, gang... the winner ended up being an entry that was emailed in from Cheshiredemon, a long-standing PC Apex member. You can see his entry attached to this post and it should soon be live on PC Apex as well.

Congrats Cheshiredemon!

You will receive your $500 gift certificate soon! Thanks to all that entered and I hope you will participate again in the future. Just ask Cheshiredemon, he has entered in contest before but this is his first win! Check out the detail in the banner he made... the tiny snowflakes actually fall on and stick to the FrozenCPU logo... plus, the search feature is an excellent shortcut!

[4x0n]

I wish I had some über flash skills

[Zaltan]

Could Probably set yourself a totally killer Water Cooling rig with that prize and not have to worry about spending the cash! Good luck to all entrants.

PS I assume you have to be from the US?

[xLastShotx]

What information should be displayed on the banner, obviously FrozenCPU.com but what else is a must? Also can we only submit one banner, or multiple banners?

[GlitterKill]

Available to ANY participants... multiple entries at fine.

Use your imagination, xLastShotx... what would YOU want to see on a banner?

[GlitterKill]

Quote: Originally Posted by dcloud This is spec work, people. If you're unaware what spec work is then check out this article (link removed since the poster is apparently thread-crapping).

Sort of an interesting take on the subject... that is one person's opinion of course. You are entitled to it.

I updated the info to reflect that the contest is open to ANYONE ANYWHERE!

[GlitterKill]

Ruse? OK, time to delete your link if you are going to crap on the contest. You have over 30 posts so I assumed you had been around here long enough to know that I don't pull "ruses" on anyone. Anyone who enters already knows what you are trying to point out. I was once a "fledgling designer" as well and would have jumped at this opportunity if I had the chops to compete. I have landed a number of paying gigs in the past after first doing this sort of freebie/contest work once the sponsor saw what I could do. Funny how that article does not cover that side of the coin. Again, that is your (and the author's) take on the subject.

If the designer has the ability and time to spend then that is all that matters. That article had more of an elitist mentality (something which plaques far too many designers with any ability) and I got the feeling that this person had lost design contests in the past. His experience is not the end-all be-all of the subject.

[xLastShotx]

Alrite here is my entry in a file. I put the html code and the link to the .swf in a .doc file.

I like Bold, Simple, and Clean banners. Based on my experience those are the best ones to click, I personally wouldn't click some banner that flashed like crazy and said click me.

Frozen PC Banner HTML Code,doc and .swf File

and here is the link to .swf file itself (note: it displays at full screen from the .swf file link which is not the way it was intended to be viewed)

.swf file

[GlitterKill]

Not a bad first, try! Please include the banner as an attachment so it can be resized for the thread. So, can you please edit the post and include the flash banner as an attachment instead and remove the inline one? (As you can see, it breaks the site layout when posted inline.)

I like the oscillating colors in the icecube on the right.

I will try to get some specifics that they would want, bud.

[GlitterKill]

Ahh, I see why you could not attach the swf file, xLastShotx. The file is too big. Shoot for less than 70KB for the swf filesize. If you do that, you can add the ad to the post via the attachment feature.

[xLastShotx]

Quote: Originally Posted by GlitterKill Not a bad first, try! Please include the banner as an attachment so it can be resized for the thread. So, can you please edit the post and include the flash banner as an attachment instead and remove the inline one? (As you can see, it breaks the site layout when posted inline.) I like the oscillating colors in the icecube on the right. I will try to get some specifics that they would want, bud.

Thanks, I just edited the post according to what you wanted. Yeah Originally I didn't have the ice cube but it was really missing something so I added that, I figured the website is called "FROZENpc" and ice is FROZEN so i put 3 and 1 together and I got that! Yeah if you could get a little bit more of what they might want I think it would help everyone out a little.

Quote: Ahh, I see why you could not attack the swf file, xLastShotx. The file is too big. Shoot for less than 70KB for the swf filesize. If you do that, you can add the ad to the post via the attachment feature.

Hm, yeah I was wondering if there was a file size limit lol. Well it looks like I have to cut down quite a bit 774kb lol.

[ranger1033]

Quote: Originally Posted by xLastShotx Alrite here is my entry in a file. I put the html code and the link to the .swf in a .doc file. I like Bold, Simple, and Clean banners. Based on my experience those are the best ones to click, I personally wouldn't click some banner that flashed like crazy and said click me. Frozen PC Banner HTML Code,doc and .swf File and here is the link to .swf file itself (note: it displays at full screen from the .swf file link which is not the way it was intended to be viewed) .swf file

It looks really good xLastShotx, but i did notice one thing you did wrong was that you left out the T in custom even though i know your doing this as a test i thought i just point that out to you.

If you do not mind me asking what kind of software program our you using to make these banners.

[xLastShotx]

Quote: Originally Posted by ranger1033 It looks really good xLastShotx, but i did notice one thing you did wrong was that you left out the T in custom even though i know your doing this as a test i thought i just point that out to you. If you do not mind me asking what kind of software program our you using to make these banners.

lol wow I can't believe I didn't see that (its supposed to be Custom.. Not Costume like you said tho), yeah that is just "version 1" so it will definitely evolve a lot from what it is now.

I use a mix of Macromedia Flash 8, Swish Max, and Macromedia Fireworks 8.

[ranger1033]

Quote: Originally Posted by xLastShotx lol wow I can't believe I didn't see that (its supposed to be Custom.. Not Costume like you said tho), yeah that is just "version 1" so it will definitely evolve a lot from what it is now. I use a mix of Macromedia Flash 8, Swish Max, and Macromedia Fireworks 8.

Oops my bad even i can not spell it right, but i am glad i did spotted it for you..

Edit: i just fix my own spelling error thanks for pointing that out, i guess we all make mistake every now and then..

[cl0uder]

I'll throw my hat in the ring. But this time I will work on only 1 good design as the last time I entered a FrozenCPU (t-shirt) Contest I entered in over 7 top notch designs and still lost. That broke my heart. But I'm a sucker for contests.

[boogityboo04]

Quote: Originally Posted by cl0uder designs and still lost. That broke my heart. But I'm a sucker for contests.

Same here

Heres the first version of mine: Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Ok... The attachment function isn't working at all, it uploads and then shows up as a 3.2kb blank swf.... I'll FTP it to my web server I guess.

The HTML file to display it properly is here: Untitled-1

The SWF is here: http://quasse.110mb.com/frozen%20cpu/Untitled-1.swf

This is still a work in progress because it uses way too much CPU and I think the blur effect should take a little less time.

[4x0n]

GK, will they completely remodel their site around the new banner or do they want it to match the current style?

[xLastShotx]

This banner is not for the main page of their website correct? I am pretty sure this banner is for putting on other websites for advertisements, like the FrozenCPU.com advertisement banner at the top of the page. That is why I believe that the banner doesn't really have to match there main website as long as it draws attention. But don't quote me on this I am 90% sure thats what it is but I could be wrong.

[xLastShotx]

All rite here is my second version of the banner. I got the size down to 65kb, so now I am within the size requirements. The .swf is in the attached .zip. And all my spelling should be correct now lol.