Welcome to the Velvet Hammer Community! Here are some points that will help you understand exactly how our Community works.

Q: What is the VH Community?
A: The Community section is for VH insider interaction. You can earn points through participating in our Missions, read the Community Blog (100% member-generated content), and redeem your points for Rewards.

Q: What are the Missions?
A: Missions are various promotion opportunities where YOU can help spread the word about VH artists in exchange for points on the site. Some Missions are online, and some are on the streets. Online Missions typically ask you to post a link or banner online and submit screen shots. Street promotions typically have more steps. First, they require that you first request materials (stickers, posters, flyers, etc). Next, you’ll receive the materials in the mail and you will hit the streets of your city to promote with them. While promoting, you take pictures demonstrating your efforts, and then upload them to the site.

Q: How do Points work?
A: Successfully completing Missions will earn you points. This is a good thing, because you can then redeem your points for Rewards. Rewards include many rare and valuable items from our artists, such as signed CDs, t-shirts, posters, guitars, and other special items. Ya know, the kind of stuff you’ll want to frame and put on your mantle at home.

Every member of the site has two different sets of points: Current Points and Cumulative Points. Current Points represents the amount of points that you have available for cashing in for Rewards. For example, say that you just registered on the site and earned 100 points right away. If you cash in 50 for a Reward, you will then have 50 Current Points remaining.

Cumulative Points represent the total, ongoing tally of ALL points you have earned. They are more for bragging rights, and not cashed in for Rewards. In the above example, you would still have 100 Cumulative points, even though you only have 50 Current points left to redeem Rewards with. You never lose Cumulative Points.

Q: Who can post on the Community Blog?
A: Active Community members who frequently promote our bands will be given access to post on the Community Blog. Everyone including other members will be able to comment and discuss with each other. If you do not have an account for posting on this blog yet and you think you deserve it, EMAIL US!

Q: What kinds of pictures from street Missions will maximize my points?
A: The rule of thumb is that your pictures should demonstrate that you have successfully promoted and spread the word about the artist in the most effective ways possible. We’re looking for quantity and quality of promotion in your pictures. Here are some things we are NOT looking for in your pictures…

1. Pictures of promo items with your pets, friends, or family members.
2. Pics of promo items on your personal property (Unless very publicly displayed – It’s one thing to put a sticker on the bumper of your car where it will be seen by lots of people, but please no pictures of a sticker on your TV in your room).
3. Pics with no promo items in them. Please don’t submit a picture if the promotional item isn’t visible in the picture.
4. Multiple pics of the same item or same people receiving promo items. Please no multiple pics of the same person holding a sticker, or multiple pics of the one stickers in the one place. Choose your favorite!
5. Promoting to infants or elderly. Common sense: Babies and 90-year-olds won’t care about our artists.
6. Putting promotional items where they will not stay. Things like stickers and posters need to be SECURE and in a place where they will not be taken down quickly by other people or nature. Stickers on rough wood surfaces such as tree trunks are common offenders in this category.
7. Putting promo items where they will not be seen. This is a little like #2 above. As cool as that rock in the gutter looks to you, it’s a terrible place to put a sticker. Same goes for bushes, the ground, sidewalks, and building rooftops.

If your question is not answered here, EMAIL US!