Friday 5/11/2004
We' ve had some daft things through the post here. A couple of years ago around this time, we got a set of loose fireworks as part of a PR campaign. We're not sure how legal that is -- oh, who are we kidding, we know exactly how illegal that is. But the office is festooned with cuddly chameleons, stuffed penguins, comedy hats, half-empty bottles (they don't stay that way for long), novelty mouse mats, novelty mice, half-full USB key drives (this year's toy of choice) and many other PR gizmos ranging from useful to tasteless.
T-shirts are a perennial favourite. The best ones are big, black and have discrete logos -- which is why most of them are small, white, festooned with ugly designs and useful only as underwear. However, I have in front of me what must be the least good idea in promotional T-shirts. Ever.
It comes from -- no, I'm not going to say who, because then they would have won. A company who has been 'Chosen as Strategic WLAN Partner for by O2", whose investment "Further Validates XXX's Business Model". There's a load of guff about it being a 'leading network operator', 'meeting evolving needs of customers', 'delivering fully integrated solutions' and so on.
What's that you say, Skippy? Sounds like a classic press release, indistinguishable from thousands of others issued by leading companies meeting the evolving needs of their customers by delivering fully integrated solutions? Why, so it is. But what makes this press release different is that it doesn't come with the promotional T-shirt -- it comes on the promotional T-shirt. Printed on.
Imagine the joy of waking up in the morning to find your partner snoozing away besides you, clad in the words of Fred Bloggs, CEO, saying "We have met O2's demanding requirements and delivered on time and on budget a key component of…" and so on, and so forth. Worse what if you were knocked over by a bus? It's one thing to have dirty grundies -- the doctors will have seen far worse -- but what will the poor nurse do when exposed to support for multiple and innovative authentication options? You'll be back on the street in seconds to gasp your last breaths away in the gutter.
So, thanks but no thanks, Mystery Company. Perhaps we'll clean the windows with it, or soak up the cat's mistakes. Next time, something snappy by John Wilmot would go down far better.
Talkback
OMG! Pls tell us how the girls' emails went like!
Were they really really crazy about him?! They cant be half as crazy as I am about Rupert Grint! He's such a hottie!
I even receieved an email from an imposter once, saying that its him-- Rupert Grint, and that was his email address-- I went crazy sending him emails! After a few months tho, the guy, or whoever that was, said sorry but he's not Rupert Grint, and was only pretending to be. I guess he finally had an attack of conscience bcoz the of the tons of email he got! Anyways, I still hope I'd get his "real" email addy *LOL!*
Perhaps convicted spammers should be forced to eat SPAM 3 times a day for the duration of their sentence :-P
Oh my god! that must be really annoying.awwww. I feel so bad for him. ok. I hope these people will recognize and stop annoying poor Rupert Goodwin. YA HEAR YOU PEOPLE!! THIS IS RUPERT GOODWIN!! NOT RUPERT GRINT YOU DUMBASSES!!! Ahem. Please excuse my use of vocabulary.
I am very amused. But not amused enough to believe you. I DEMAND a response Mr. Grint, I know you're hiding under the facade of a middle aged angry man and I know exactly why. You're afraid of the friendship we could have and you're afraid that when it comes right down to it, that I could be the greatest friend you'll ever have. So I insist upon a response. I insist that you stop this charade and reply to me. Can you hear that? It's the solitary beat of my heart, telling me to stop and that I am wasting my time, but alas I cannot. Write me soon or I'll cry myself to sleep.
Came across your 'Rupert Grint' dissertation in the internet by chance while surfing and I have to say that you must have a lovely personality for despite the humongous grief it must have given you, being hounded to death by Harry Potter fans and all, you did not lash out cruelly or in anger, but you gently chastise in a way that is funny, lovable and totally non-offending.
Sorry to hear about you being hounded! Hope your message gets through.
Regards,
Cherry