The Joys and Frustrations of e-Couponing

e-Coupons are a great idea, especially if you want to reach a wide audience without the costs associated with FSI's and mailers. But as T.G.I. Friday's recently found out, no matter how hard you try to pull off a nice, care-free e-couponing campaign, there are going to be some wrinkles and headaches.

Woody, the T.G.I. Friday's "spokesperson" has been encouraging people to become a fan on the TGIF Facebook page. And those that help them reach their goal of half a million, get a FREE Jack Daniel's burger.


I thought it was a nice offer, so I signed up! I registered. I was directed to a page online to print a coupon. I hit "print" and watched a neat little animation that said my coupon was printing.

But it didn't print. And it refused to let me try again.

This scenario is more common than most retailers would like to hear. A Java-based in-browser coupon print utility does indeed help track coupon dispensing AND prevent fraud but when your coupon doesn't print, you're asking for a customer service nightmare.

A lot of people complained and T.G.I. Friday's made good on those complaints. Instead of going high-tech, they went lo-fi by setting up a new campaign using HTML emails with unique codes embedded in the coupon. Much easier for everyone involved. But in the long run, it may have cost a few extra dollars to implement "Plan B".


BELOW: T.G.I. Friday's tries it again. This time, through HTML email:


Which begs the question: are we too worried about preventing coupon fraud? How do you weigh the concerns of coupon fraud vs. customer frustration?

T.G.I. Friday's wrestled with those obstacles using style, wit and humor. My opinion of this franchise is higher than ever before and I applaud the way they treat their customers. Both in or out of the restaurant.

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Give us your poor, your skinny, malnourished models so that we may give them sandwiches

Much hubbub has been made regarding the 'over-thinification' of fashion models lately and Ralph Lauren ratchets it up one more notch. And then, to add fuel to an already stoked fire, Ralph Lauren threatens to sue those that are critical of its photoshop practices.

Here's what happened:

Ralph Lauren runs an ad featuring Filippa Hamilton (who actually has curves in real life). The photo is so grotesquely photoshopped, she looks well beyond heroin chic. Her face looks wider than her hips. A blog called Photoshop Disasters showcases it. Boing Boing covers it. Ralph Lauren slaps both with a DMCA complaint claiming copyright infringement. Photoshop Disasters removes the image but Boing Boing not amused (and certainly not intimidated) responds with guns blazing:

"Copyright law doesn't give you the right to threaten your critics for pointing out the problems with your offerings. You should know better. And every time you threaten to sue us over stuff like this, we will:

a) Reproduce the original criticism, making damned sure that all our readers get a good, long look at it, and;

b) Publish your spurious legal threat along with copious mockery, so that it becomes highly ranked in search engines where other people you threaten can find it and take heart; and

c) Offer nourishing soup and sandwiches to your models."

Could be one of the best "take this threat and shove it" responses I've ever read.

Read more here.

Chambord - Taking decadence to the max

Chambord is a rich, all-natural black raspberry liqueur crafted in Loire Valley Chateau south of Paris, France. In this promotional event, Chambord got just a little bit richer – to help celebrate the opening night of Breakfast At Tiffany's in London, Chambord unveiled a bottle valued at more than $2 million designed by jeweler Donald Edge.

The bottle is adorned with over 1100 round brilliant cut diamonds, dozens of pearls and set in hand wrought eighteen carat yellow gold.

The event was produced by Strider Productions and held at Somerset House during London Fashion Week.

This bottle is currently being evaluated by the Guinness World Records for most expensive bottle.

Decadent? Indeed.