Big-Idea Bakeoff Winners!

Well, the votes have been counted and the results are in for the second annual Big-Idea BakeOff, the company-wide competition which gives staff members the opportunity to share their own ideas for the future of our brand.  After the seven finalists pitched their ideas, we invited viewers to vote for their favorite idea on this blog.  The number of votes was astounding – 625,114 votes total!  First place is shared by two winners – Alexis Givens with her allergy-friendly recipe publication idea and Shara Lasky with her idea for a publication focusing on pets and pet crafts.  Their prize is to receive their choice of either one thousand dollars in cash or twelve hundred dollars worth of MSLO stock and the chance to help develop their project for the company.  It will be most interesting to see where all this leads. Congratulations to everyone!

BIG-IDEA BAKEOFF EXPLANATION

We have received some comments from people who were not happy with the results of the Big-Idea Bakeoff. And yes, it’s true that Alexis did win 57% of the popular vote. However, choosing two winners for first place was a strategic process and was taken very seriously. We absolutely felt that both were such good ideas for the future of this company, and rather than focus on just one concept, we are excited to bring both ideas from the co-winners to fruition.

Co-Winner!

Shara, Associate Product Manager
Special publication for pet lovers/pet food
Big Idea: To create a yearly or biyearly publication focusing on pets and pet crafts, where readers will be encouraged to create their own pet-related products, and we'll also offer tips for including your pet in your life...

My alternate idea is to create a packaged line of Martha-branded pet craft items. This line would vary from holiday-themed products, like a bone-shaped Christmas stocking, to wedding items, like a ring pillow your dog could wear down the aisle.
View Shara's presentation

Co-Winner!

Alexis, Deputy Home Editor
Special publication catering to those with food allergies and sensitivities that would include recipes
Big Idea: To publish a special magazine that offers delicious allergy-friendly recipes, making life for people with food allergies and sensitivities easier and more delicious. Millions of people, including myself, can't eat nuts, dairy, wheat or gluten, and I’d like to empower people to make great recipes even if they can't use all the standard ingredients.
View Alexis's presentation

Co-Runner up!

Barbara, Television Producer
Freestanding Martha Stewart store for merchandising and workshops
Big Idea: A huge Martha Stewart store right here in New York, and soon to come to a city near you! Imagine floors and floors of shopping, learning, creating -- all under one roof. Meet celebrities, join in live demonstrations, get one-on-one help from our editors, advice from our experts, be a guest on our radio shows, eat fabulous food, take a class, make the perfect cappuccino, and maybe even get to drink it with Martha. A store that's everything Martha? It's a good thing waiting to happen.
View Barbara's presentation

Co-Runner up!

Jacqueline, Product Manager
MSLO employee cookbook
Big Idea: To publish an "Employee Cookbook," which will be a collection of the best handed-down family recipes from the 700-plus employees at MSLO. It will feature favorites such as my coworker Sabrina's carrot cake and my fiance's third-generation "Sunday Sauce." I guarantee there will be something for everyone in this cookbook, and it will also help to justify the "Martha 15" that everyone gains when they start working here!
View Jacqueline's presentation

Comments

[Andrew Ritchie]

My support will always be for the Martha Stewart Store, which would have a far more concrete, visible and inclusive presence in the marketplace than a niche publication about allergy-friendly foods, an idea that is multi-tiered, mulit-faceted and 'omnimedia' in its concept.

Truly, it WAS the big idea.

I'm sure you've crunched the numbers, but I won't be buying an allergy-friendly magazine, nor a pet magazine.

Kudos to the ideas and winners, though!

-Andrew

[Anna Robinson]

I hope you do have a magazine that is for those with allergies.
I have celiac disease and am always looking for recipes I can use.
Martha, your Feb. magazine, MS Living is wonderful. The tribute to your dear Mother was so lovely.
I also loved all the good ideas in the magazine. Thank you for such a wonderful magazine.

[Wendy]

OK ~ your vote was a great idea. But how disappointing! Does the world REALLY need another PET publication? An allergy-friendly magazine would have helped countless people (my family included) with the day to day struggle of preparing healthy, appealing, delicious and acceptable food that our allergic loved ones can eat (and enjoy!).

Very very disappointing...

[Valerie]

I am disappointed. The allergy magazine was a clear winner. There are lots of information and items available on pets. But recipes and ideas for people with allergies are hard to find. I so wanted to have a magazine devoted to that topic, and I'm disappointed with so many votes for this idea that you don't plan to produce the magazine.

How sad.

[JO]

Congratualtions to ALL the winners.... I think you made great choices for the future of Martha Stewart... and that ALL of them will enrich our lives in more ways than one

JO

[Hardboiledegg]

oH pLEASE THE ALLERGY IDEA WON BECAUSE OF THE INTERNET AND E-MAILS ALERTING PEOPLE TO ELECTRONICALLY STUFF THE BALLOT BOX ALL KINDS OF CHAT ROOMS KICKED AROUND THE NOTE TO GO TO mslo AND VOTE FOR IT

[Meg]

Bravo! So many were excellent ideas. It is good to see both rewarded as it sounds like you will be trying to develop or use both ideas. A win-win for all concerned. Congrats to the winners and thanks to all the contestants for putting such thought into ideas with the consumers in mind.

I'm so excited to know that MSLO and all your publications (and hopefully your shows) will put some effort into developing decent allergy-free versions of your recipes. Maybe I can look forward to food as a celebration again. (Please don't forget about those who must be both gluten free AND egg free.) And thanks. :)

[bburlew]

Glad you picked 2, and I'm glad you picked the pet mag-The allergy thing seems really...limited.

[Heather]

I'm incrediably disappointed. I was so looking forward to a mainstream publication featuring food allergies and gourmet safe recipes. There are countless pet magazines and not one food allergy magazine in the US.

A recipe or article here or there is nice, but not as nice as a whole magazine would have been.

[Sue]

Did I hear you mention on a recent show that you feed the donkeys bread?
We have 4 buffalo and they love bread. Also I have 2 Belted Galloway cows w/ calves who will leave the round bale of hay when they hear my truck coming to eat bagels, etc. from my hand.
A great training tool especially with buffalo.. They can't be driven like cattle! (When they escape from the pasture they will follow a trail of bread home)

[Mina]

I love your blog Martha. Great contest as well. I've become addicted to your craft products and have made some pretty cute stuff. Check out my blog @... www.minasdecorandfashion.blogspot.com
Mina

[Drenda]

Dear Martha,
I've been crafting for years, and just love your show and magazine. My son is at your Valentines Day show with his partner today. I'm so excited. In honor of that, I made some cards and a special box for you. He tells me audience members can't bring gifts, so he took some pictures, and I wanted to share them with you. Happy Valentines Day!

www.angelfire.com/ny2/mtl/valentines_by_drenda

[JoyM]

Everyone at Crafty Critters is looking forward to the pet publication!

http://network.bestfriends.org/crafts

[Carolina]

Dear Martha,
While I can certainly understand the strategic move to expand into the pet market, I can't help to think that you went back on your word. If there are 2 winners, then both ideas should be given the same treatment. I will still support your publications but feel that the allergy publication supporters did not get first place treatment.

[Suzan Acre]

Something for Shara's idea from our State of Wisconsin, Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. You may be able to link to it from your "Biscuits" page. Congratulations to all the winners for such great ideas!

Suzan - Madison Wisconsin (Suzanvidajan)

http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2130

[tori]

in terms of the bottom line, the pet market far surpasses the food allergy one. The stats just do not support justifying a stand alone food allergy mag. Any demand for one could be easily incorporated into the existing brands of MLSO rather than starting a brand new untested product. It's a no-brainer.

[Laura E]

Thanks for putting this to the vote, however if you already knew what type of publication you wanted you shouldn't have bothered. How can you have a "tie" when one good idea gets double the second place idea? Yet another pet publication? How many do we need? More pet products? Please.

The allergy publication got over 356,000 votes. How much additional revenue would 356,000 additional subscribers gained you? Plus offering your own baking mixes and allergy friendly good things? You have really missed a true marketing opportunity. Even if you had decided to make it a mainstay section in a magazine I would have considered subscribing, but alas, that is not the case. I hope that someone else picks up this idea and runs with it - clearly there are hundreds of thousands of people wanting this magazine and would be willing to pay for it.

[Elisa]

Dear Alexis,
Please do everything in your power to help those of us in the "real world" dealing with food allergies. I really don't think those without food allergies get it. My son is 3 years old and I am constantly aware of what goes in his mouth due to the fact he could die by eating the wrong thing. Flying on an airline that serves peanuts is risking his life...I don't think Martha gets it either. That is why you received 57% of the vote...the need is there...if you build it we will come. We need you to get this published...don't just hide recipes in your other publications...take a stand. Show the world what we are dealing with.

[Carla]

One year ago I would have thought that the allergy magazine was for a limited market. I think we are all that ignorant until we are affected by a food allergy. I know with my son's food allergies, I would buy the magazine, as would many members of my family. They want to keep him safe and well fed, too.

Food allergies in children has been rising exponentially in the last 10 years. This is a market on the move and if Martha doesn't get on at the ground floor, someone will. I saw that Rachel Ray's show showcased Enjoy Life cookies today. They are allergen free and delicious!

Don't get me wrong, I love my dog! But if I have to choose between a orange vest for her and avoiding anaphylactic shock in my son...guess who is going to win?

For those of you who are so opposed to the idea, try googling "compassion" or buy some on Amazon. It is folks like you that make life more difficult for Mommy's like me!

[tori]

carla,

I am not opposed to the idea. It just makes more business sense to include a dedicated section for food allergy recipes in the brands that already exist at MLSO. What is wrong with that decision? If anything, by including these recipes and introducing them to a larger market, it would increase awareness and accessibility for people who might never have thought to look at these recipes.

Looking at the numbers, it seems that about 3% of the population in the US have a food allergy-give or take. I just looked up the stats on pet ownership...37.2 households own dogs and 32.4 own cats.

Please don't call me ignorant or say that I lack compassion just because I don't think a stand alone food allergy mag will fly.

[Sara]

It makes me quite sad that there are so many hateful people out there towards those of us with food intolerances or allergies in this world. It is due time that more people pay attention to things like celiac disease and severe food allergies and I fully believe that a major allergy free publication would be a fresh innovative idea for the company due to the fact that no one else has had the nerve to do it yet and this could set the standard for those to come in the future. It's not much fun being told by head of you college foodservice that because you have celiac disease you are nothing more than a profit loss to them and that they do not have to provide food for you to buy on campus while you are trying to get a degree just like everyone else. It is because of ignorant people like this who refuse to even think somewhat "out of the box" that allergies and intolerances have not been brought into the spotlight sooner. Thank you for giving us a chance Martha, please don't give up on us.

[Michelle M]

Dear Martha,
I am excited about your food allergy magazine. My son in 17 yrs and for the last 3 yrs he has suffered with eczema (skin becomes red, oozes and crusts over, then peels) after eating anything with any amount of dairy. It has been extremely frustrating to remove these products from his diet, since dairy is at the top of his list. This idea will help mothers, such as myself, to find new hope and give them back the joy of cooking/baking something tasteful for a family member who feels trapped by food allergies. Thank you for helping an enormous audience.
Michelle M., Kona, HI

[Jean]

I am so happy the food alergy publication won. I only recently discovered that I am gluten sensitive (after 5 miscarriages and no clear reason until now). Only after going off of gluten as a trial did I realize that I have had this issue my entire life and had NO idea that what I was feeling and how I was digesting food was not normal - my chronic sinusitis is gone, I am sleeping better, I have more energy, oh, and digestion is easy now - no belly aches, no tums.

I think there are many millons of people out there who are in the same boat and over time will start to realize they have food intolerances, and having this publication available will be a godsend to them - in fact, it may help some folks realize they have these intolerances and suddenly feel better and heal lifelong ailments. The reason so many people who voted heard about it from food intolerance support boards is because it is so difficult to get information on how to cook, dine out, etc - we are a very strong connected group, but we are just the beginning- expect more and more to be diagnosed in the next few years. While going off of gluten was scary for me, I have never looked back because I suddenly have more energy, absorb vitamins taht never seemed to "work" but now do, and hopefully I will be carrying a pregnancy to term. Bravo for moving forward with this idea.

[April-The Woodlands, TX]

Dear Martha,
I am so happy to hear about the magazine for food allergies. People don't know how hard it is to have them. My daughter is now 4 and was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at the age of 1. The first year was so hard. The cost of gluten-free food is crazy and hard to find. If more commerical companies became aware of this disease and other allergies and food intolerances and tried to market products geared towards alleries/food intolerances, people would buy them. I think that is more important than a devoting a magazine geared towards pets. Animals are important too, don't get me wrong, but allergies are a life or death situation. I look forward to seeing it. I would definitely buy it.

[Lori]

I have been living gluten-free for about 2 1/2 yrs now due to allergies. However, this week I was also given my new allergy test results and now in addition, I am soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, yeast-free and have to avoid other fruits and vegetables. I am so thankful to find out that Alexis proposed such a wonderful idea for a magazine. It makes me even more happy that she won. I applaud her for her idea and also Martha for making this happen for all of us that have food allergies. Can't wait to find get my own subscription!