So I got an email about Sub-Phatty #2014. The generous folks at Moog are giving it away to a lucky fan that likes their FB page then completes a survey…
Why are these types of giveaways dependent on being a FB user. I have held out this long (and alienated some friends because of it) and honestly have no interest in FB. I used to be able to call or even email friends or family. Now many will only respond to text messages or FB. Since I don’t do FB, I miss out on friends parties and even family events that people throw and only inform about via FB. It seems that if you cannot do things in mass they are not worth doing anymore. Personal contact is a waste of many people’s time. I know there are some people that cannot separate actual life from their virtual ego inflating FB pages (I am not speaking of EVERY FB user), but why do we need to “like” something to prove we actually like something?
In fact, many people will arguably “like” things they do not even like to get coupons, discounts, and win similar giveaways.
Does the fact that I am a registered owner that has spent actual money on Moog products equate a “like”?
I would even say (in some company) that I may have stronger than like feelings for my Moog.
So I can deal with not finding about my father-in-law’s Easter party because I don’t do FB, but don’t alienate tried and true fans Moog.
I reluctantly joined G-mail for business reasons. I don’t think much of a company that follows me everywhere I go on the web and spams me silly with ads on every site.
Thanks to my job, not only do I have four different e-mail addresses, but I also have an iPhone AND BlackBerry, both of which are text-enabled. I think that is enough connectivity! I don’t anticipate “tweeting” and “liking” anytime in the near future.
Does seem a bit surprising that this contest is only open to Facebook users ~
Seems a lot of faithful Moog users might be excluded in the process…
Do what I did. Sign up with a fake name, a fake birthday and an email address that NOBODY knows. Otherwise, people who were dumb enough to upload their ENTIRE N&A book will ‘find’ you and you’ll notice associations starting to pop up and annoy you, people will say “hey how come you didn’t friend me”, etc.
Once you are “on”, don’t befriend anybody BUT you can use it to do research such as seeing photos that folks like Moog and Moog users post on Moog’s page. I have zero friends : ) and have done this so I can read about product information or in cases where small players (like Analogue Solution say) “see the photo on my FaceBook page” (grrrrr…), I finally can.
I made the near fatal mistake of signing up with an actual email address which is my own (stupid!) You have the benefit of my mistake.
Maybe the point is that you don’t want to buy into the capitalistic nature of FaceBook and how it is used/exploited/wastes piles of productivity time, etc. Maybe you just want to chill out… That’s an entirely different conversation and not one that I have any energy to tangle with.
I completely agree, and also have a huge mis-trust and serious aversion to all things facebook. I refuse to become part of that abomination. We are few, but strong. If this means I don’t qualify for a free giveaway, so be it. Not looking for freebies in life anyway. Let the sheep have their prize.
They are merely doing the giveaway as to increase awareness of Moogfest and its Facebook page. Those who frequent Moog’s website, most specifically its forums, are likely well aware of Moogfest and all happenings related to Moog. All they are trying to do is strengthen their social networking klout and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. It is their giveaway, it is their strategy, and from my observations, it is a working one at that (the strategy).
I mind not whatsoever how they are going about this. I am frankly surprised at how some are actually taking this FB-zoned giveaway personally.
They want to expand their demographic and by all means, this is a great way of going about doing so. Simply because one has an aversion to SocNet sites such as Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, Facebook or what-have-you does not place Moog in the wrong.
If having your personal information within a database bothers you, I hate to tell you, but it already lays on one somewhere or another.
As previously mentioned, you could always falsify the basic information at sign-up and go by a different moniker on it and merely provide Moog (within the Moogfest survey) your real address.
I see no room for complaints. It is what it is, mates.
I can’t stand it when businesses have facebook specials and deals. Some of us choose not to use that data mining, privacy lacking vessel of spam and chain mail.
Did everyone on the planet get this email, or just registered Moog users? I agree that the folks that frequent Moogmusic.com or the forums (here) are aware of all things Moog, and it is here that I see a flaw in that logic. As I (one of the aware) received this email, I don’t see this strategy as expanding awareness of the product or Moogfest.
This was not anything more than a itty-bitty rant and I am not taking it personally. I am happy that I am not alone in my non FB having life model. I probably have more free time available than the average FB user because of it. I am not afraid of having my name or info in a database, I simply refuse to be a lemming.
I don’t fault Moog for handling giveaways in a way that they see fit either. Their prerogative.
I am not attacking anybody, nor do I wish to argue about any of this. I was merely making an observation.
I am sure that some of the others that posted here have been annoyed that friends, family, co-workers, bartenders (you name it), have back-burnered actual socializing in favor of “SocNet”. It is ok to put the tablet or cell phone down and talk to people, or do your job from time to time.
From a business standpoint, it makes great sense to expand your demographic and reach out to as many people as possible. This is my point. Don’t exclude those without FB. Open ALL channels. Mutually inclusive is better than “no FB, no soup for you”.
I hope I do not offend anyone. I thought forums were a place people go to express opinions. That is all I am doing. And if your opinion is different, express it.
Until then, I will enjoy the instruments I already own.
Y’know… As long as in You know in Your heart of hearts that You “like like” Your Moog, no FB user could ever top that with a mere “Like” Who needs a free Sub Phatty anyway, when to buy one makes one feel more like a shareholder than just a… Holder. I don’t know. Play on.
Who needs a free Sub Phatty anyway, when to buy one makes one feel more like a shareholder than just a… Holder. I don’t know. Play on.