Again, it's 2008. The bait and switch; the false promise; the misleading information; the obvious trickster tactics; do they even work anymore? Are they even worth it when there is this thing called blogging that is becoming more and more popular?
Then again, cable and phone companies have such a bad reputation that they probably think they can't really get any deeper into the gutter.
This is me finding out about FiOS - the Verizon very-high-speed internet service:
"Hmm, FiOS. Heard that before somewhere else, didn't know it was available. How fast is it? Really, that fast, omg! How much? What, are you joking, $40/month? For the cut-down version right? The whole enchilada? Wow!! Is it available in my area? You can check on the web? - me going to www.google.com, entering in "verizon FiOS" as a search, finding the FiOS "check area" site, entering in my address, waiting for some (pointless) graphics to scroll, and find out that...
Second reaction: Wait, what's that fine print?
Third reaction: new google search, "how to carpet bomb verizon headquarters"
I mean, come on? What deluded piece of marketing pulp decided that blurting out in loud red colors that Verizon High Speed (that's DSL, so it's worse than what I have now) is available after someone just searched for (life changing) FiOS? Which isn't available.
It's the marketing equivalent of shouting, "here, have this for free, NOT! - you lose!".
Brand commitment/affinity/love, whatever you want to call it, doesn't erode slowly. It's lost in an instant with pranks like this.
There is no excuse.
