Maven Mapper's

So the title of this article pretty much sums up the article, but I'll repeat the premise a bit.  I am continually annoyed with sweepstakes offers thrown in with products that I WILL buy regardless of whether there is a sweepstakes or not.

I see this most often with Coke, specifically Coke Zero.  I drink coke all day long.  I'm a coke addict.  I don't play their sweepstakes.  Its a waist of time, and even if I win, the prize is still a waist of time.

But what it does do is give them my name and email address and marketing information (like they need it).  WTF?  I've been drinking coke for decades, do you really need to add my name and email address to your databases yet again?

Now, I might understand (but not buy) if the sweepstakes offered me a free trip to say the Playboy bunny ranch if I bought some men's jewelry.  I don't buy nor wear jewelry, but I might be tempted for the right(wrong) contest.  But tempting me to do something I am already going to do, what's the point?

Similar issue, I bought some AAA batteries the other day.  Duracell this time (I go back and forth between duracell and energizer and price is the only thing that makes a difference.)

This time around, they offer a Wii sweepstakes.  I don't need a Wii sweepstakes.  Its the damn Wii (and my wireless mouse) that eat all the AAA batteries in the first place!

If I add another Wii to the household, I'll use twice as many batteries.

AHA! I see the evil in their marketing plan now . . .

Just look at all this information they want.  I need a Duracell account like I need a hole in the head.