Who says corporations don't care?
Apr 09 2007, 21:55 EDT [updated Apr 09 2007, 21:59 EDT]
Who loves me? Philip-Morris loves me. At a bar a few years ago I swiped my driver's license into a card reader in exchange for a free Zippo lighter. Every year since I have received a present on my birthday from the folks at Marlboro. This year it was an ashtray. Last year it was a bottle opener (a wallet sized piece of flat steel). The year before that it was something I'd never use so I only remember that they sent something.
What is that you say? It is just a heartless corporation's marketing machine sending trinkets to a consumer in the name of branding? Well sure but I'm winning on this one. They send no junk mail and I'm up a Zippo, a bottle opener, and an ashtray (none of which say Marlboro. It must be a result of the settlement with congress a while back).
The marketing isn't exactly carpet bombing or unwelcome either. All the 'wares get sent to a guy they met in a bar in the first place. If I don't need the bottle opener, lighter, or ash tray it is because I already have enough of them. Rock on you soulless corporate death merchants.