Marketing Masterminds

From: josh penrod
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 11:23 PM
To: info@colgate.com
Subject: Herbal White Beaver

Dear Colgate,

I just saw your commercial featuring “Mr. Beaver” and I am concerned.

Correct me if I am wrong here, but it seems fairly obvious that the campaign was created by the 10 year old nephew of someone in the marketing department in exchange for a piece of gum. If so, you were ripped off.

I pray that I am right, because if I am wrong that means you actually paid an advertising agency to create this garbage.

My suggestion, get your gum back and dump the beaver. I feel qualified to tell you this because:

  1. I have teeth
  2. I have an I.Q. over 12

Thank you
Josh Penrod

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From: colgate-palmolive_consumer_affairs@colpal.com
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 06:18:50 GMT
To: nospam@nospam.com
Subject: Thank you for your interest

Dear Mr Josh Penrod,

Thank You for your feedback or question. A message has been sent to the appropriate parties, and you will hear back from us shortly.

Sincerely,

Colgate-Palmolive

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From: Colgate-Palmolive Consumer Affairs

Date: Mon, 24 Feb 2003 18:35:23 -0500
To: josh
Subject: Colgate WebSite Query

Dear Mr Penrod

Thank you for taking the time to share your opinion about our advertising.

Of course, we try hard to create positive, interesting advertising that everyone likes. Unfortunately, the best intentions don’t always produce success. We appreciate your comments on our recent advertising campaign. Please be sure your opinions will be shared with those responsible for the research, development and production of our advertising.

We hope you will continue to rely on our company for quality products and services and that you will contact us again if you need additional information or have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Michael

5 responses for Marketing Masterminds

  1. Brian says:

    Hmmm… Now I want to see this Colgate Beaver ad. Haven’t seen it yet, but have certainly felt the same way about other campaigns in the recent past, and wished to say so to the advertisers. I’m always reminded of the SNL sketch of a game show where Adam Sandler played a contestant whose response to every question was, “Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one?” (I think it was a stand-up comic’s game show, with Jerry Seinfeld hosting). I am especially impressed with colgate-polmolive’s auto reply. Can’t wait to see if they really get back to you. That is all. -B

  2. elaine says:

    yeah, looks like colgate put a lot of effort into that response!! who gets paid to do that anyway? probably some dumb college student like me. the kid just sits in an office all day and waits for the emails to come pouring in. he has 3 auto-responses that he chooses from. i especially appreciate that he put “feedback or question”, altho i would have liked it a whole lot better if he’d used the / option.

  3. ben says:

    I have been quite concerned about this advert. since my first viewing. I’ve now seen it a 2nd time, this time with my son as a witness and we were both equally horrified. We are wondering if this is part of an insidious Al-Queda plot . Is it performance art, so subtly constructed, that it appears to return us to an innocent time before human brains were fully evolved?

  4. weston says:

    i used to work for a National Public Radio, um, producing company and we had over 200 ‘auto-responses.’ It’s really difficult to personally answer all the email a national organization gets, especially one with an apparent political lean to one side. (we got email accusing us of ‘leaning’ both ways{!} on the same issues!)

  5. Porgo says:

    interestingly enough, market studies on dental habits of large rodents shows a distinct preference for Crest products, not Colgate.