Cash 4 Gullible

Mark Albertazzi — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:23:02 +0000

If you watch TV, there’s a good chance you’ve seen those cheeky commercials for Cash4Gold. For a refresher, see below.

Normally, I would never ship away my gold possessions and rely on someone’s assessment of their value without being present. But being curious about how the process works, and what people had to say about it, I decided to at least Google Cash4Gold. One of the top links redirected me to complaintsboard.com, where I found a number of reviews posted by both customers and purported former employees.

What I found most entertaining, however, was a banner ad for Cash4Gold on the same page filled with complaints about the company. Whether you believe in the Cash4Gold offer, or the viability of their assessment process, you have to tip your hat to their media buying service. Apparently, they’ve identified a core target market and they know where they are – retirees, or down-on-their-luck folks, watching daytime TV, who in turn surf the web to see if the company’s offerings are viable.

Bottom line, after reading several other “exposes” on Cash4Gold’s practices, I was reminded of that familiar buyer beware adage: if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.

Reality bites (in advertising)

Colin Ayres — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:59:02 +0000

There’s a new technology in town. Augmented Reality, or AR, allows consumers to interact with 3-D images, similar to holographs, using their computer’s web cam. A well-known early example of AR is the yellow lines sports networks use to mark the first down line during football games. Lately, however, a handful of marketers are experimenting with AR in their advertising efforts as a dynamic and intrusive element designed to enhance creative ideas. GE, Papa John’s, and the Postal Service are just a few of the brands experimenting with this up-and-coming technology.

See Augmented Reality in Action

Stir-Fry » media

Cash 4 Gullible

Reality bites (in advertising)