Are You Kidding Me, GSN?
Thanks for sending me a fully-inflated vinyl chair to promote your new Saturday Evening game shows. Oh, and the matching 32 oz. cup with witty ingredients showing how fun your shows will be. Oh, and the DVD and the press release.
And I’m sure the confused FedEx guy is happy with you, too. Wait till he finds out you sent this to one reporter (me) who doesn’t cover television or entertainment (or work for a publication called “Multichannel News,” or spell his last name with an “e,” but hey, you got the street address right). Or for that matter, that you sent a second one to someone who is no longer with the company!
So how much money did you spend to FedEx these things to us, and will it generate any sort of ROI? Or will it just cause business writers to live with a vinyl stench in their cubes and nod their heads in disbelief?
Let this be a lesson, public relations gurus. If you’re going to try to create excitement within the media by sending big, silly packages to the press, do your homework. Update your contacts first. Don’t waste precious promotional dollars sending these things to people who no longer cover your industry, or don’t even work there any more.
Now excuse me while I go back to opening all these books written by marketing gurus that I’m never going to read or review, but were sent to me by some hopeful public relations folks hoping to hit one bulls eye in the world of business reporters (and probably spent a lot less mailing them via media mail through the USPS)…
May 26th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
I wrote for the “Business” sections of two Gannett-owned newspapers and I was amazed by the number of pitches sent that had absolutely nothing to do with my beat. Those pitches were usually filed alphabetically in my Recycle Bin.
By the way, what are you doing with that extra vinyl chair and matching cup? NBA Finals are starting soon and, if I can convince my wife that we no longer need the love seat, I’ll have just enough space for it.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Years ago, when I set up a marketing department in a company, the President wanted to know why I was “wasting time” updating the company database. Why wasn’t I out there marketing and promoting right away. Yes, I agree, pitches need to be targetted towards the right person/market to work.
I have to admit the whole PR campaign they sent you is fun. I won a bubble chair from Hubba Bubba (deflated!) along with a Sony bubble stereo, a year supply of gum and Hubba & Bubba stuffies. Maybe your kids (you have kids?) would love the chair as much as my daughter does.
May 28th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Tim,
I want my chair. Can you have FedEx forward it to my mailing address?
May 28th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Pat, it’s not YOUR chair!
But GSN sent me ANOTHER package today for ANOTHER promotion. This time it’s a box of Rice A Roni (chicken flavored) to promote something else!
I mean, come on, people!
And no, Pat, you can’t have the other box that was probably sent here to someone else who is no longer with Penton… not even as a “parting gift,” as it says on the label…
May 28th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
As someone who is currently housebound and hungry, I see no reason why a rational person would complain about someone sending them food and a chair. You’re living the dream, pal!
May 28th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
You wrote about it…they win!
May 29th, 2009 at 12:19 am
True, but I didn’t reveal the name of the shows. ;)