livendive 8 #1 February 10, 2006 I figure they had to get my email address from dz.com, though I don't know if they bought it or just culled it from my profile. In any case, I thought there were a couple funny points, most notably the photographic admission of the email's nature. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scoop 0 #2 February 10, 2006 It appears the technique is working as alot of people are talking about it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adriandavies 0 #3 February 10, 2006 ...yeah but most people are saying how annoying it is to receive spam. There is another thread in general skydiving discussions where people are discussing just how Argus got their email addresses. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitational 0 #4 February 10, 2006 report them: www.spamcop.net I get enough spam as it is. I don't need anymore.------ Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #5 February 10, 2006 at what point does "targetted marketing" become spam? If Argus had bought your name and address from USPA or CSPA and sent you a snail mail, would you be just as pissed? I thought spam was un-targetted marketing. For instance, I have never used Viagra (honest) but get dozens of emails daily offering me bargain prices. Now that's spam! Hasn't this company, offering a skydiving specific product, simply targetted their market?Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #6 February 10, 2006 Quoteat what point does "targetted marketing" become spam? If Argus had bought your name and address from USPA or CSPA and sent you a snail mail, would you be just as pissed? I thought spam was un-targetted marketing. For instance, I have never used Viagra (honest) but get dozens of emails daily offering me bargain prices. Now that's spam! Hasn't this company, offering a skydiving specific product, simply targetted their market? To me, spam is the electronic version of junk mail, i.e. unsolicited advertising. It doesn't matter where they got their mailing list from, the fact that they sent it to me without even knowing whether I'm in the market for an AAD is enough to justify it as spam. That said, did you look at the attachment? The email contained a picture of a can of SPAM. That kind of says everything right there doesn't it? Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 37 #7 February 10, 2006 QuoteThat said, did you look at the attachment? The email contained a picture of a can of SPAM. That kind of says everything right there doesn't it? Looking closely at the attachment and reading what it says - that can of spam is the link to click on if you do not want to be contacted by them again. I think the can of spam graphic is a nice touch - lends some humor to the issue."Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #8 February 10, 2006 Quote Looking closely at the attachment and reading what it says - that can of spam is the link to click on if you do not want to be contacted by them again. I think the can of spam graphic is a nice touch - lends some humor to the issue. Agreed, which is why I said in the original post "I thought there were a couple funny points, most notably the photographic admission of the email's nature." Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #9 February 10, 2006 Quote To me, spam is the electronic version of junk mail, i.e. unsolicited advertising. It doesn't matter where they got their mailing list from, the fact that they sent it to me without even knowing whether I'm in the market for an AAD is enough to justify it as spam. laugh] Blues, Dave I disagree, in previous business ventures I have bought mailing lists of a targetted group and sent business letters to them advertising my products, and those have always been received well enough. I have no problem with Argus sending me, a skydiver, information on a skydiving related product. Similarly, those emails that seem to know I have a small penis and want to sell me patches and pills that will..oh...never mindPete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitational 0 #10 February 11, 2006 Disagree...Unsolicited email is unsolicited. Didn't want it and now I'm wondering who sold him the list. I got the crap several times as I have email addys for client sites to that get used (rarely, but they do get used). It's not nice to contribute to the problem. SPAM is SPAM.------ Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #11 February 11, 2006 QuoteDisagree...Unsolicited email is unsolicited. ALL advertising is unsolicited. You don't program the sign you see on the bus, the ad that arrives on the tv, or you hear on the radio. Direct Marketing is not a crime, and is not spam. This is a company that markets goods aimed at Skydivers - advertising to skydivers. Look, I get a lot of spam too, I manage over 20 websites and get email advertising all sorts of shit from OEM Software, to stock hints, fake Rolex watches yada yada yada - that's spam. Argus is direct marketing and it's different. Stop being so sensitive. If that had arrived as a letter in your mailbox, you'd have read and tossed it and not said a word.Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitational 0 #12 February 11, 2006 QuoteIf that had arrived as a letter in your mailbox, you'd have read and tossed it and not said a word. No, I generally take junk mail and restuff the envelopes with other junk mail and toss it back in the mail.------ Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sid 1 #13 February 11, 2006 Quote No, I generally take junk mail and restuff the envelopes with other junk mail and toss it back in the mail. This'll be my last comment on this thread, because you're either going to see the point or not. If an ad, any kind of ad is targeting a specific product to the audience it is intended for, let's say a company making a new piece of skydiving equipment and they target, oh, let's say ...... skydivers! then it's not junk. Every product in this free market society is advertised, and effective advertising is targeted to minimize waste. Now, if Argus had sent 10 billion emails to households in every country, filling in boxes of senior citizens, kids, businesses, etc. That's spam and junk. This company sent an email to the email addresses of people "likely" to be interested in their product. At the bottom of that ad, they provided a way - an easy way - for you to get off their list and receive no more emails from them. That is targeted, responsible advertising. (Jeesh, I knew those college degrees would come in handy) - sid - out!Pete Draper, Just because my life plan is written on the back of a Hooter's Napkin, it's still a life plan.... right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bwilling 0 #14 February 11, 2006 QuoteIf an ad, any kind of ad is targeting a specific product to the audience it is intended for, let's say a company making a new piece of skydiving equipment and they target, oh, let's say ...... skydivers! then it's not junk. That's a valid point, but not the only thing that clears it from the dreaded 'spam' moniker... the legitimate marketers will never hide the true origin of the email, and will always have a valid link where you can remove your name from their list, and they will honor your request. That's the real difference! "If all you ever do is all you ever did, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #15 February 11, 2006 they also made the email subject line clear that it was an ad for skydivers. I agree it was unsolicited, but its the best possible kind of spam. Its targeted, it provides a easy way to opt-out, and it lets you know its spam. I saw no problem with this ad. MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gravitational 0 #16 February 12, 2006 QuoteThis'll be my last comment on this thread, because you're either going to see the point or not. I see your point and did originally. My point is, my email was sold to an organization without my consent or knowledge presumably by a skydiving organization. (USPA?) - I've opted out of everything for USPA so if my email was obtained by a list they sold, I'm not very happy. I get enough SPAM as it is. If I'm shopping for something, I go look for it. Please don't put things in my email box unless I ask for it. I have several industry clients that I support. I received the email 22 times to various addresses, some that aren't even published or used anywhere other than testing by myself. Targeted advertising, yes. SPAM, definitely by using the 'unsolicited commercial email' definition. Michael out! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
