Name the GoodYear Blimp Contest
For the first time in the 80-year history of its world famous airship program, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company today launched a new blimp without an official name. Instead, the Company unveiled the blimp at its airship base near Akron bearing the world’s largest nametag, and launching a nationwide contest to name the new blimp.
The individual submitting the winning entry that ultimately will fill in the blank spot on the recognizable 18′x12′ red and white “Hello My Name Is” nametag will win the Goodyear Blimp for a day in his or her hometown. The “Name The Blimp” contest will culminate with winners being notified on or about June 5th, and the blimp will be christened with the winning name during a high-profile ceremony in Akron later that month.
“We make decisions every day on how we want to use our fleet of Goodyear Blimps,” said Chuck Sinclair, Senior Vice President, Goodyear. “It occurred to us as we were preparing to invite America for input on naming the new airship, that the most compelling incentive to enter would be an opportunity to live that dream. Ask yourself, what would you do if you had the blimp for a day?”
Starting at noon on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 consumers can begin submitting their suggested names for the new blimp on a designated site http://www.nametheblimp.com, which also contains complete details and official rules. If their submission is ultimately selected as the Grand Prize-winning name, they will win use of the Goodyear blimp for a day. Whether it’s an aerial party for friends or personal messages over their hometown, one lucky winner will actually get the blimp for his or her own personal use. Nine lucky first place winners will receive a set of Goodyear tires.
Participants can submit entries until 11:59 PM ET on April 30th, 2006. All entries will be reviewed and rated by Goodyear judges based upon the official rules and judging criteria, which are available on the contest web site. All eligible entries received will be judged by a panel of judges based on their ability to: reflect the storied 80-year history and tradition of the Goodyear Airship; reflect the grace and majesty of air flight; resonate with the Goodyear airships’ long history of public service; and acknowledge Goodyear’s history of innovations and progress.
A list of ten finalist names will then be announced and posted on the official contest web site at 12:01 am ET on May 7th, 2006, officially kicking off the public, online voting period to help select the final winning name for the blimp. The name with the highest score from this popular voting combined with the votes of a panel of Goodyear representatives, will determine the winning name.