Music 2 prevent an explosion!

I have spent four days on the phone or online chat support trying to get Earthlink’s TrueVoice service set up. Every single part of this process that could have been screwed up, was. I found that most of the people who work at technical support, either do not have enough training or they just plain don’t know what they are doing.

After spending 21 hours and counting either on the phone, mostly on hold, or waiting for a response from someone on the chat support, I have discovered a new use of music2work2 pieces. They are also “music to help maintain your sanity.”

I was so angry I could have chewed gravel today - - instead of making things better, one of these “technical people” not only could not get my phone working, but made it impossible for me to have Internet access. I knew that I was either going to do something drastic or my blood pressure was going to shoot right through my head. So I put on the sessions from music2work2.com and was able to calm down and maintain what sanity I had left. As the calming, soothing music played, I felt myself start to relax. The music is so beautiful, it is hard to stay so upset while listening to it.

Earthlink needs to play music2work2 while they leave their customers on hold. If they are going to be so incompetent, maybe at least the customers won’t have coronaries or nervous breakdowns while they wait!

Buzz about the fuzzy red doll........

Womnibus Weekly: Everything about Word of Mouth #2.08 has an article about the marketing genius used by Mattel for the promotion of the recently introduced Tickle Me Elmo doll, T.M. X. Apparently it was shrouded in secrecy, "leaks" to retailers and press created excitement and mystery, an "unveiling date" created a buzz and orders where placed for the toy "sight unseen." It is expected to be the hottest toy seller of the holiday season. All of this because of what was not said!

Ted Mininni in MarketingProfs:DailyFix questions why this kind of grassroots marketing and creating product excitement is not used more, " just by creating a little mystery, a date for an unveiling, a little press and buzz at retail..."

It's an interesting thought. I don't know if it would work for any product, after all, the fuzzy red doll is already well-known and created shopper pandemonium 10 years ago when the first Tickle Me Elmo was introduced. But, a sense of mystery about anything usually creates interest Could this work in marketing online music?

Weird.......

One of the weirder pieces of news I’ve read about recently, was in Tuesday, Oct. 24 Digital Music News Daily Snapshot. Apparently Axe Deodorant, owned by Unilever, has joined with Vervelife, a “digital media experiences that not only reinforce your brand’s personality, but are accessed through custom-branded, web based environments,” to produce a hangover Recovery Mixer. According to DMN “The Axe Recovery Mixer offers a range of music styles, each tailored to the severity of the hangover in question.”

Designed to appeal to the 18-34 male demographic online, the process involves showering with a “Recovery Shower Gel” then when you are ready to begin your day, “Axe Recovery Room Mixer will pick the tunes for your aching head.” You can even schedule a wake-up call from Axe!

I don't know whether it actually works, but is there no limit to what a company will do to increase sales?