Thursday, December 20, 2007

Marketing People Eat Their Young

I don't try to hide the fact that I have a deep dislike, bordering on loathing, for most people in the Marketing profession. When I meet someone with a degree in Marketing, I categorize them with people who have a Divinity degree.

Today I visited a local burger chain called Checkers. When you place a take-out order, they include a little sheet of coupons in the bag. Here’s one of the coupons:

check1


You’ll notice that it’s so simple, an 8-year old kid could understand how it works. You buy a “combo,” and you get a free sandwich. You don’t need a Marketing degree to design something like this, or to predict the likely redemption rate. As a mechanism to generate traffic, it’s very effective. It tells you very clearly what you have to buy, and presents an appetizing picture of what you will receive.

However, the same sheet of coupons included this:

check2


OK, class. I’m going to open this one for debate. Does ANYONE understand this offer? I showed it to several college-educated people, and not one of them had any idea what item had to be purchased, or what the customer could expect to receive. Does the picture help? Is that what I’ll get? Do I need a bigger car?

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's simple: Purchase a "2 For" Sandwich at Checkers from the Double Value Menu at Rally's and you'll receive a Single Double Whopper and/or a McDLT at any participating Wendy's.

Anonymous said...

I imagine it means you get a free single deal/sandwich/side/whatever a deal is according to Checkers and Rally's from the double value menu with the purchase of a two for one sandwich combo.

Anonymous said...

Ouch! I worked in marketing right after I got my MDiv.

Anonymous said...

I thought I was pretty bright, but with fast confusing me, I'm having doubts.

Anonymous said...

Problem has no solution because we are missing some variables. 'Single' or single deal refers to a set containing some items; Double value menu contains set of some single deals; "2 for" is a set containing double deal items (some of which are sandwiches). Choose from the "2 for" subset double deal sandwiches and receive one from the set of single deals in the double value menu.

or
Price(item) = Free if
item = {Single Deal|Double Value Menu}
and
previous.item = {sandwich|"2 for" Double Deal menu}

see?

Or something like that.

iamameatpopsicle said...

educated people probably don't eat at Rally's that often. with a bit of context under their belt, one should note that a "double" in rally-parlance is a sandwich with two meat layers. a 2-for double deal is a double with 2 extras, and this deal gives you a single-meat layer sandwich in addition.

Anonymous said...

stop the madness!

Anonymous said...

it looks pretty simple, actualy. buy 2 matched sandwiches from their pair meals, get a free single sandwich from a separate set of pair deals.

kind of a 3 for the price of 2 thing.

Clint Bourgeois said...

Yarm yarm. More food for less cost?

joe miller said...

I think you end up with aproximately 7 sandwiches.

Anonymous said...

And people wonder why I'm such a cynic.

To decipher this suitspeak:

Buy one eligible Single Deal and get a second one free, "eligible" meaning that the Single Deal is listed on the "2 for" menu.

(But take your lawyer with you just in case.)

Anonymous said...

I love the small print at the bottom... "2 for" prices vary by location...

Anonymous said...

I think the deal is you buy some crap and you get some heartburn.

Rick Cortes said...

By my math, you go home with about 27 sandwiches. My nose is bleeding.

jennycat said...

Came here from BoingBoing. Thought you might enjoy this:

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=fclYmVaORbM

Anonymous said...

So, no one has ever eaten at Checker's?

They have a regular "combo meal" menu. They also have a "$1 for one sandwich" menu. They also have a "$2 for two sandwiches" meal.

This says; You buy two (2) sandwiches from the $2 menu, and get one (1) sandwich from the $1 menu.

Seriously? No one understood that?
You put me and my people down (Checker's patrons,) for eating there, but then don't understand the wording of coupons because you have a lack of context?

Good for you.

Tom Dougherty said...

It's simple: Double buy one for price and you single get purchase of a deal for two!

It's not hard, people! Hurry, because you only have until the ten of two to get good on these!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm always saying that the world would be a better place if people would only just take a little time to stereotype each other more often based on things like educational background ir career choice.

JM said...

Very easy to understand: "Free stuff here".

or "please buy shit from us".

Either way, they're desperate.

JM

Anonymous said...

It's as bad as "My Documents" on Windows. Try to explain on the phone to your parents to open "My Documents" meaning "your documents".

Who can prevent forest fires?
a) you
b) me

Anonymous said...

I believe the deal says you get obesity and diabetes for one price and they will then stop your heart for free

Anonymous said...

it is very simple, their website clearly states some are 2for3 some are 2for4 and some are 2for5 hence the deal "2for" you can choose from 7 different deals from this list,the double meaning you get "two" check the website http://www.checkers.com/curr_specials.html