Levels of Big Brother Campaigns
In most cases, when a Big Brother player is on the block and about to be evicted, there are multiple days before the fateful night to campaign to stay. In one of the many cases where someone is in the position to know they're in trouble from the time an HOH is crowned, there is a whole week. There are still other times where someone knows they're in a tenuous position to be evicted a couple weeks in advance and can work to prevent that, but this post won't focus on them.
In this period of time, there are multiple "levels" of campaigning that a person can partake in:
Level 0: Lay Down and Die. Somehow, a Level 0 campaigner finds things to do in a house with little sources of entertainment, and no contact with the outside world, for multiple days, without putting any significant effort in attempting to stay in the house. Frankly, there really are very few excuses for a HouseGuest to play this role, except for in some rare circumstances (good luck to Jameka in trying to get one Donato to evict the other; although, it appears Kail would take up even that offer).
If production wants to create more exciting seasons, a good step would be to cut down on the number of would-be Level 0 campaigners whom they cast.
Level 1: Scorched Earth. A Level 1 campaigner realizes they are going home, and tries to make their mark on the game on the way out. This is usually manifested in their very final moments, with either a spirited final plea or some final words as they are walking out the door. While this may create better TV than a Level 0 campaign, and while it may garner more respect amongst some viewers, it really isn't a marked improvement from a gameplay perspective. In fact, it may be a *detriment* to a player's chances of staying if the Level 1 campaign begins before eviction night.
When it is all said and done, while a Level 1 campaigner may want to go out with a bang, they are still conceding that they are, in fact, going out. Their scorched-earth campaign is rarely geared towards actually trying to stay in the house, so as far as game playing is concerned, it is functionally equivalent to a Level 0 campaign. A Level 1 campaign may serve well as a cherry on top of a failed Level 2 or 3 campaign, but by itself it is practically useless.
Level 2: Part-Time Campaigns. It's possible Levels 2 and 3 could be combined, but I think there's enough of a spread between campaign(er)s in that category that it should be split up. A Level 2 campaigner has a "pitch" or a few ready to serve up to a key swing voter, and normally offers it up to them in the form of a quick speech or two.
This level of campaigning certainly distinguishes itself from Levels 0 and 1, in that the campaigner is actually putting effort to stay in the house. However, these campaigns don't have a very good track record. House flips take a fair amount of social capital to execute, and just like a post on the internet is unlikely to convince someone to change a treasured belief of theirs, one conversation or a few generally isn't enough to get someone to make a big move.
Level 3: Full-Time Campaigns. A Level 3 campaign is a Level 2 campaign on a bit grander a scale. Where a Level 2 campaigner gives a modicum of effort to avoid being a Level 0 campaigner, a Level 3 campaigner tries to generally do more to change their situation. As opposed to making a pitch or two right before the veto meeting or eviction night, the campaigner tries to plant seeds throughout the week, and progressively build their case as the week goes on, when there's enough time for people to change their minds. As opposed to generally trying to keep the status quo (under which they are in the situation they're in to begin with), the campaigner takes steps to try to change the structure of the house; they consider selling out their main alliance, or trying to convince a voter to betray theirs. A Level 3 campaigner tries to do anything they can to stay in the house; if they are evicted, it can be known that they used every card in their deck, and simply had none left.
Level 4: Houdini Tricks. If a Level 3 campaigner makes it their full-time job to campaign, a Level 4 campaigner makes it their life to campaign. Every waking moment from the time they are put on the block to eviction night, their mind goes through possible ways to get out of the situation they are in. As opposed to a one-dimensional pitch that a Level 3 campaigner tries to serve up, a Level 4 campaign is often multi-faceted, attempting to reach multiple different HouseGuests from different angles. A Level 4 campaigner knows they are in deep trouble, and that desperate times call for desperate measures. Dan Gheesling's slogan is that there is a way out of any situation if you believe you can get out; a Level 4 campaigner is convinced to find that way out, or to get evicted trying. If a Level 4 campaigner is evicted, it is because they've wrung out every possible chance of staying in the house there may have been, and it simply wasn't enough.
To rehash a previous note, a great ingredient for a good Big Brother season is a bunch of Levels 3 and 4 campaigners. In a season full of them, there will never be a dull week, because you are guaranteed to have a fierce campaign before every eviction.
These sorts of considerations are important when evaluating players as well. Andy Herren's adage regarding adversity does have its merits; if someone is in a position where they are about to be evicted, they normally didn't play the best leading up to that time. However, there are very few players in history who would have a good chance in a random season to go deep without ever facing adversity. Even the best players will get into adversity at some point in many random seasons, and so how they would respond is important.
It's an unfortunate and oft-lamented fact that there are many Level 0 campaigners in Big Brother. As a result, someone who simply tries to stay in the house should likely be boosted in player rankings quite a bit on that basis alone. True Level 3 and Level 4 campaigners are few and far between, and so someone who is has a major leg up on most players who have ever played the game. This post was thought of because I considered it as a reason to put Dan Gheesling above Dr. Will Kirby, and also to potentially put Mitch Moffit in one of the top tiers of all-time players, results-oriented thinking be damned.
In a zero-sum game, merely trying in a department few people do can be a decent advantage.
In this period of time, there are multiple "levels" of campaigning that a person can partake in:
Level 0: Lay Down and Die. Somehow, a Level 0 campaigner finds things to do in a house with little sources of entertainment, and no contact with the outside world, for multiple days, without putting any significant effort in attempting to stay in the house. Frankly, there really are very few excuses for a HouseGuest to play this role, except for in some rare circumstances (good luck to Jameka in trying to get one Donato to evict the other; although, it appears Kail would take up even that offer).
If production wants to create more exciting seasons, a good step would be to cut down on the number of would-be Level 0 campaigners whom they cast.
Level 1: Scorched Earth. A Level 1 campaigner realizes they are going home, and tries to make their mark on the game on the way out. This is usually manifested in their very final moments, with either a spirited final plea or some final words as they are walking out the door. While this may create better TV than a Level 0 campaign, and while it may garner more respect amongst some viewers, it really isn't a marked improvement from a gameplay perspective. In fact, it may be a *detriment* to a player's chances of staying if the Level 1 campaign begins before eviction night.
When it is all said and done, while a Level 1 campaigner may want to go out with a bang, they are still conceding that they are, in fact, going out. Their scorched-earth campaign is rarely geared towards actually trying to stay in the house, so as far as game playing is concerned, it is functionally equivalent to a Level 0 campaign. A Level 1 campaign may serve well as a cherry on top of a failed Level 2 or 3 campaign, but by itself it is practically useless.
Level 2: Part-Time Campaigns. It's possible Levels 2 and 3 could be combined, but I think there's enough of a spread between campaign(er)s in that category that it should be split up. A Level 2 campaigner has a "pitch" or a few ready to serve up to a key swing voter, and normally offers it up to them in the form of a quick speech or two.
This level of campaigning certainly distinguishes itself from Levels 0 and 1, in that the campaigner is actually putting effort to stay in the house. However, these campaigns don't have a very good track record. House flips take a fair amount of social capital to execute, and just like a post on the internet is unlikely to convince someone to change a treasured belief of theirs, one conversation or a few generally isn't enough to get someone to make a big move.
Level 3: Full-Time Campaigns. A Level 3 campaign is a Level 2 campaign on a bit grander a scale. Where a Level 2 campaigner gives a modicum of effort to avoid being a Level 0 campaigner, a Level 3 campaigner tries to generally do more to change their situation. As opposed to making a pitch or two right before the veto meeting or eviction night, the campaigner tries to plant seeds throughout the week, and progressively build their case as the week goes on, when there's enough time for people to change their minds. As opposed to generally trying to keep the status quo (under which they are in the situation they're in to begin with), the campaigner takes steps to try to change the structure of the house; they consider selling out their main alliance, or trying to convince a voter to betray theirs. A Level 3 campaigner tries to do anything they can to stay in the house; if they are evicted, it can be known that they used every card in their deck, and simply had none left.
Level 4: Houdini Tricks. If a Level 3 campaigner makes it their full-time job to campaign, a Level 4 campaigner makes it their life to campaign. Every waking moment from the time they are put on the block to eviction night, their mind goes through possible ways to get out of the situation they are in. As opposed to a one-dimensional pitch that a Level 3 campaigner tries to serve up, a Level 4 campaign is often multi-faceted, attempting to reach multiple different HouseGuests from different angles. A Level 4 campaigner knows they are in deep trouble, and that desperate times call for desperate measures. Dan Gheesling's slogan is that there is a way out of any situation if you believe you can get out; a Level 4 campaigner is convinced to find that way out, or to get evicted trying. If a Level 4 campaigner is evicted, it is because they've wrung out every possible chance of staying in the house there may have been, and it simply wasn't enough.
To rehash a previous note, a great ingredient for a good Big Brother season is a bunch of Levels 3 and 4 campaigners. In a season full of them, there will never be a dull week, because you are guaranteed to have a fierce campaign before every eviction.
These sorts of considerations are important when evaluating players as well. Andy Herren's adage regarding adversity does have its merits; if someone is in a position where they are about to be evicted, they normally didn't play the best leading up to that time. However, there are very few players in history who would have a good chance in a random season to go deep without ever facing adversity. Even the best players will get into adversity at some point in many random seasons, and so how they would respond is important.
It's an unfortunate and oft-lamented fact that there are many Level 0 campaigners in Big Brother. As a result, someone who simply tries to stay in the house should likely be boosted in player rankings quite a bit on that basis alone. True Level 3 and Level 4 campaigners are few and far between, and so someone who is has a major leg up on most players who have ever played the game. This post was thought of because I considered it as a reason to put Dan Gheesling above Dr. Will Kirby, and also to potentially put Mitch Moffit in one of the top tiers of all-time players, results-oriented thinking be damned.
In a zero-sum game, merely trying in a department few people do can be a decent advantage.
Comments
Post a Comment