Posted by Citysearch on May 06, 2008 at 08:01:19:
Citysearch Announces 'Love at First Bite' Video Contest Winner
Witness One Man's Quest through Manhattan, New York for the Dumpling House
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 5 Citysearch today announced the winner of its first ever "Love at First Bite" user video contest, which took place in California, Illinois and New York. Daniel Hayek from New York received the grand prize, a $1,000 gift card, for his film "The Quest" which follows Hayek through New York City as he searches for a pork-filled sesame pancake.
"The Quest" -- Daniel Hayek
http://www.vimeo.com/loveatfirstbite/760897
Contest Finalists include:
"Sneaking Out" -- Susan Emshwiller
http://vimeo.com/loveatfirstbite/759653
"True Love" -- Shawn Convey
http://vimeo.com/loveatfirstbite/842423
"Love at First Bite" -- Loren Simons
http://vimeo.com/loveatfirstbite/842425:
"The Quest" was directed by Daniel Hayek, a freelance writer based in New York's East Village. Hayek's inspiration for the film stems from his love of photography, architecture, and of course videography. He is also a self-proclaimed "foodie" who says his love of Latin American cooking stems from his Colombian roots and being raised on empanadas and delicious tropical juices.
"I got a lot of stares from subway riders while filming this clip but luckily New Yorkers are used to people behaving oddly in public," said Hayek. "In complete contrast, once I was out on the street several people approached me offering to hold my camera for me but I politely declined until I had my tasty sandwich in hand and my quest was complete."
The consumer video contest powered by IAC sister company, Vimeo, was launched by Citysearch in February 2008. This unique contest allowed users the chance to showcase their love of food and restaurants combined with their individualized story-telling and producing skills.
"We really enjoyed seeing all the creative and passionate entries to our 'Love at First Bite' contest," said Tim Allen, vice president, IAC Consumer Applications and Portals. "Because of the unique and viral nature of Vimeo's community, we can offer our partners custom campaigns (like 'Love at First Bite') that encourage active engagement with our user base in areas they already express enthusiastic interest, like food."
"The level of user enthusiasm and quality of the submissions we received for the contest were phenomenal," said Robert Moritz, Editor-In-Chief, Citysearch. "This contest provided a unique way for our active community to contribute online video on Citysearch and bring people's passion for food and restaurants to life. We thank everyone who participated and look forward to running future innovative contests like 'Love at First Bite'."
To view all of the "Love at First Bite" contest submissions, visit http://www.vimeo.com/loveatfirstbite. Citysearch's editorial staff judged all entries based on originality, creativity, humor, stage presence and ability to make their favorite food appealing to others.
About Citysearch
Citysearch is a leading online local guide that provides the most up-to-date information on businesses, from restaurants and bars, to travel and retail. Citysearch empowers consumers to make informed decisions about where to spend their time and money by delivering trusted content, local expertise and helpful tools, including over 18 million local business listings and over 1.5 million user reviews nationwide. Citysearch is an operating business of IAC NASDAQ: IACI. For more information, visit: http://www.citysearch.com.