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February 17, 2004
Targeted Advertising
I got two pieces of unsolicited mail this week (both real mail and email). Ok, I actually got a lot more than that, but I want to contrast these two particular pieces.
The junk mail I received was a credit card offer for a Democratic Party of America Visa. The card features a flowing American flag and a stylized donkey (the symbol of the Democrats). On the back of the envelope are emblazoned the words "Join your fellow Americans". I guess Visa is playing the odds that a 20-something male living in downtown Seattle would identify more with the Democrats than with the Republicans. Too bad for them I can't vote.
The spam I received was one of those discount software offers. But here's the kicker: the subject line offered Corel Ventura, a product I worked on during my first co-op term in university!
It's interesting that the spam from a random source managed to come closer to correctly targeting me than Visa and the Democratic Party.
Comments
Too bad you didn't get spam advetising GIGANTOR - THEN you'd have something to write about!
Posted by: Dav at February 18, 2004 6:48 AM
They say every Ventura CD is haunted by the ghost of Heidi Lamaar.
Posted by: ryan at February 18, 2004 1:55 PM
Shhhh! That's Corel's best kept secret!
Posted by: ian at February 18, 2004 4:48 PM
Funny thing is, I think this spam is the best advertising Ventura ever had...
Posted by: Chris at February 18, 2004 6:53 PM
The strangest spam I receive is for collogen lip injections. Not well targetted for a 16 year old male from Iowa.
Posted by: Chad at February 19, 2004 4:58 PM
I still like Corel's Ventura 8 pitch:
"Ventura 8, Corel's best kept secret!"
... I know I don't have my MBA, but I thought that, as a business, you were supposed to advertise your good products and keep the shitty ones as secrets! Corel Family Tree, anyone? How about Corel CAD 1.0?
ugh.
Posted by: mark at February 22, 2004 5:53 AM