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The BadAds Weblog: June 2002
Hanging Up on Telemarketing Calls
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a "do not call" list it says could eliminate most telemarketing calls for those who register.
Consumers could sign up by calling a hotline. Violators who call listed numbers would be fined $11,000 per call. Of more than 42,000 responses in the FTC public comment period ending April 15, more than 90% favored the list.
The telemarketing industry, naturally, disagrees. "The government wants to put our industry out of business," says Matt Mattingley, director of government affairs for the American Teleservices Association, in an article in USA Today. "They can't legislate it out of existence. So they are proposing regulations so onerous, difficult and expensive that it would be impossible to comply."
Why would these new regulations be so difficult? Five thousand companies already comply with the Direct Marketing Association's voluntary Do Not Call list. And so far, no cases have been shown of a telemarketing firm driven out of business by state laws already in effect requiring don't-call lists. Instead of having a jumble of state laws and individual companies' Do Not Call lists, the FTC's law would make it easy for consumers to avoid intrusive, annoying telemarketing calls.
Mr. Mattingley can be reached, toll free, at 877-779-3974.
June 10, 2002
Musical Spam
The following is from the article "Amy Grant Spams a Sour Note" by Danit Lidor in Wired News:
Fans of superstar Christian singer Amy Grant have been eagerly awaiting the release of her 17th album, "Legacy, Hymns & Faith." What they haven't been eagerly awaiting is the marketing campaign that Grant's record label, Word Records, is unleashing upon them.
Fans visiting Grant's site are greeted with a seemingly innocuous contest to win free passes to a performance and a chance to meet the star. The person who forwards the press release to the most people is the grand prizewinner.
Although the Web page contains a disclaimer about spam, fans and anti-spam activists are still full of righteous fury.
"This is unethical, plain and simple," wrote Grant fan "TommyBee" on the Usenet discussion board rec.music.artists.amy-grant. "I love Amy and her music, and I want people to know about 'Legacy,' but I just don't think this kind of bulk e-mail is the way to do it."
Another fan named Denise added in an e-mail: "I get upwards of 50 spams a day and don't need well-meaning friends sending me more as well as getting me on to a mailing list I don't want to be on. And then possibly sending me more spam by selling my information."
We agree. Although this particular contest is now over, we urge you to write to World Records and ask them not to sponsor any more contests that encourage participants to spam for prizes.
Thanks to MAS for the tip.
June 3, 2002
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Where you draw the line is up to you – but we feel that an ad meeting any one of the following criteria qualifies as intrusive: 1. You can't turn it off. You can close a magazine and turn off the television, but billboards tower overhead night and day. 2. It enters your home without permission. Pardon me, Mr. Telemarketer, may I see your invitation? 3. You're a captive audience. This can be in schools, in movie theaters, at a urinal, or waiting for your receipt at the ATM. 4. It doesn't support anything, or it costs you money. Radio ads support free programming, but you pay, directly or indirectly, for faxed ads and junk e-mail. |
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