Rules

Rules

Nomination

• Nomination is open to the public. All individuals are encouraged to submit their favorite product.
• Any item manufactured in North Carolina is eligible for the contest. Company headquarters do not have to be located in North Carolina.
• This contest is not grouped into product categories. Every product competes against all other submissions, regardless of manufacturing sector.
• If a nomination does not meet the above criteria, it will not be entered into the contest. Due to time constraints, we are not able to notify nominators of these circumstances. If you fail to see your product on the official ballot and believe it meets the criteria, you may reach out to staff here.
• All companies that receive an eligible nomination will be notified by the NC Chamber.
• To create a more level playing field among manufacturers of different sizes, we are introducing a new Medium Business Category for manufacturers with 100 to 999 employees. Small manufacturers (fewer than 100 employees) and large manufacturers (1000+ employees) will continue as before. Voting will still follow the same process as previous years, with all nominees on the same ballot; however, at each cut announcement, we will highlight which manufacturers in each category—Small, Medium, and Large—are moving forward.
• Products manufactured by a company that has won The Coolest Thing Made in NC Contest within the past 5 years are not eligible for the contest. Manufacturers that are subsidiaries of parent companies that have won within the past 5 years are also not eligible.

Voting

• A voter may vote once per day per category per valid IP address.
• Nominated products will advance through multiple rounds of voting, with the products receiving the highest votes in each round moving to subsequent rounds.
• Vote totals will be reset at the beginning of each round.
• Paid advertising to promote a product is not allowed. If a nominee is found to have used paid advertising to promote their product in the contest, they will be disqualified.
• Nominated companies are encouraged to utilize social media, press, and other channels to promote their product in the contest, but they may also take a hands-off approach if they choose.
• There is no cost to participate in the contest. Membership with the NC Chamber is not required.

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