Twitter. Facebook. MySpace. I’m guilty of it all. Social media is the thing to do these days and larger companies are beginning to target their audience using this method.
So, here’s the deal. Have you ever texted in your vote for American Idol? Well, the big wigs have been keeping track of the numbers and a "significant portion" of the 75 million American Idol voters received two texts from the show asking them to tune in this season.
Mark Siegel, a spokesman for AT&T Wireless, said the message was
meant as a friendly reminder. “We want people to watch the show and
participate,” Mr. Siegel said. He added, “It makes perfect sense to use
texting to tell people about a show built on texting.”
Spam? Or creative marketing? Remember there was no opt in clause. Typically, you elect to get these sort of communications from an organization.By definition, spam is an unsolicited message.
In the advertisement, AT&T told recipients to “Get ready for
American Idol” and pointed them to a company Web site promoting an
“Idol”-related sweepstakes.
It noted that recipients were not charged for the message, and that
they could opt out of future advertisements by responding with the word
“stop.”Mr. Siegel said the message went to subscribers who had
voted for “Idol” singers in the past, and other “heavy texters.” He
said the message could not be classified as spam because it was free
and because it allowed people to decline future missives.“It’s
clearly marked in the message what you need to do if you don’t want to
participate,” he said. “It couldn’t be more open and transparent.”
What do you think about what American Idol is doing?Is this what we should expect in the day and age of Tivo and DVRs? Advertisements have to get to us one way or another and there are only so many product placements a show can put in one episode.
Are these messages free? Are they constant or just a one time deal? If the person cared enough to send a text msg to vote on the show, they may just appreciate the reminder text message. who knows?
Sure, it’s free if you’re with AT&T, but they can’t stop other cell phone companies from charging the usual fee to receive texts. I think this is absolutely spam. I texted in to 95.5 WPLJ here in NYC one time for concert tickets and they repeatedly sent me advertising texts back for months afterward. My phone bill kept taking the hits and I NEVER agreed to receive advertisement texts and there was nothing said on the radio about being signed up for their promotions. I finally had to call the radio show, get the number for their advertising people, then call them and tell them my problem. “oh, you just reply to the text with the word STOP” Oh yeah, that simple eh? So when I wrote back “I don’t want to receive these texts anymore” I was doing it wrong??? A-holes!! It’s spam and it ends up costing people.
Spam. Even though I’m with AT&T and the text wouldn’t “cost” me anything, it’d be annoying.
Speaking of which, did you guys call the 800 number to opt-out of cell phone telemarketing? I guess our numbers went public a couple of months ago. Fuuuuun.
That’s definitely Spamming. It’s the same thing as telemarketing except that some people just don’t have free texting! NOT cool at all. They’re using private numbers for exploitation.
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That’s spam. I had a situation with my mobile last year where a mobile ringtone company kept texting me once a week and charging me 2.50 euro a text. I stopped using that sim card on my phone because i changed network. A few months later I decided to go back to the network, and when i put my sim in i also put 60 euro credit on my phone, in literally half an hour it was all gone because the texts had built up over time. I had to get onto the Irish mobile phone regulators and they had to send a cease and desist letter for me!!
That picture of Paula better be on the last page of Glamour next month, with the dreaded black bar over her eyes. It can go next to the JLo with the backfat roll showing in the gold peekaboo dress for the Golden Globes. Ladies, not a good look. Dress the right way and look amazing, as Paula does in most pics. This one, fail. Poor thing.
Oh yes, and 13 years in the cell company, that is totally spam.
It’s not exactly spam. By texting in your vote, you’re technically opting-in. The idea is that you, as a previous voter, would like the personal reminder that the show’s starting back up. If you want to opt out, all you have to do is reply with the text, stop. And that works for actual unsolicited spam as well. I’m not sure what the European regulations are, but this is how it works in the US.
I agree w/ the above. As much as i disagree w/ it, there is nothing wrong about it. Its strategic marketing and that is why they make millions. You opted in by voting the 1st time, you can opt out just the same by replying “STOP”.
Isnt it expected now-a-days when you fill out a form w/ your email address on it… or you text something like American Idol. Its only obvious that they want your information for further advertising purposes.
If your that worried, then watch where your sending your messages. Send them to friends, not multi-million dollar making events.
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