MasterVilla FHM promo's a mess!

A friend came to me to share his disappointing experience regarding the MasterVilla's FHM promo. MasterVilla is the current advertising vehicle use to promote Master products of Sara Lee. Refer to a copy of the brochure (back portion) attached below, which outlines MasterVilla's promo mechanics.

Promo Mechanic No. 5 reads:

Owners of the MasterVilla T-shirt are encouraged to attend the FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World Event on July 17, 2008 at the World Trade Center where the raffle winners will be drawn

Promo Mechanic No. 6 reads:

At the FHM event, they must wear the MasterVilla shirt and proceed to the Master Booth to register and win Master giftpacks.

Very enticing marketing gimmick, indeed. I'm sure a lot of guys have availed of the promo and Sara Lee must have been counting their profits from it.

But my friend thinks the MasterVilla promo is a hoaxed! Let me share to you his story why he said so.

Yesterday, July 17, my friend went to the World Trade Center Manila to attend the FHM event, hoping to be among the first 100 persons wearing MasterVilla shirt who would gain free access. (Hhmm. I sense some thing wrong here. Promo Mechanic No. 5 does not mention of any such "first 100 persons" provision. To my understanding, as long as you own a MasterVilla shirt, you can attend the FHM event courtesy of Master.)

My friend arrived very early to the venue. The models were still rehearsing then. So, my friend was so sure at that time that he made it into the "first 100 persons".

After taking some snap shots of the models, since he brought his DSLR camera with him, he now proceeded to the MasterVilla booth. He talked to a chubby gay there and inquired about his free access. But he seemed not aware of the promo, so the chubby gay endorsed my friend to the person in charge of the booth who is also a gay but with a mustache.

When my friend now asked the gay with a mustache about how to claim his free access, he was shocked when he was told that the promo only pertains to the raffle. That they'll be picking 100 lucky persons who will win Master gift packs and the prizes at stake (refer to Promo Mechanic No. 7). In short, there is no such promo of a free access to the FHM event!

But my friend explained to the gay with a mustache that he was told by a their promo girl in SM mall where he bought his Master products about the FHM promo, and that's why he learned that only the first 100 persons would be given a privileged access by Master.

But instead of apologizing to my friend for the "misinformation" given by their promo girl, this gay with a mustache allegedly gave him a shabby treatment.

"That S-O-B gay didn't even bother to check my claim to their head office", said my friend.

Unfortunately, at that time, my friend wasn't able to bring with him the MasterVilla brochure. He only brought the shirt and the raffle coupon. Thus, he had no basis whatsoever to prove his claim.

But knowing my friend, he never gives up easily. He told me how he approached a couple of FHM event organizers just to acquire, or even buy, a ticket to the event; however, his efforts turned out futile due to the organizers' strict stance.

So, he went home very, very disappointed. He felt cheated. He felt duped. His day was ruined!

By the way, I and my friend had an agreement beforehand to meet up in the FHM event, since I'll be going to the said event too. The show has already started and no shadow of him still in the venue. I was wondering then why he hasn't showed up yet in our meeting place. But now I know the reason why.

Tsk. Tsk. In a way, I feel disappointed too, not to my friend, but to the MasterVilla promo for not keeping up to its promises. There's a lack of coordination between the event organizer and the marketing staff of Master.

Anyways, let bygone be bygone. Here's to you my friend to cheer you up. Watch this video clip and I hope you would have a nice day after viewing this. :)

POST-SCRIPT:

I just got an info this morning from a reliable source that those who arrived to the venue wearing MasterVilla shirts were allowed free entry. But it was after the FHM staff manning the entrance made some confirmations with Master staff in the events. At first, the FHM staff wasn't aware of any such promo set-up, thus those guys wearing MasterVilla shirt, were denied entry. Luckily, one of the guys brought with him a MasterVilla brochure which became their basis to prove their claims.

I texted my friend awhile ago about this, and it kinda pissed him off all the more. He called me up, cursing Sara Lee, telling me he swear he won't patronize Sara Lee products anymore, and that he will throw all his Master stuffs into the garbage bin.

My sympathy is on you my friend. But I will not condemn the whole Sara Lee, but I promise you I won't anymore buy Master products. Afterall, I'm beginning to like Blue Soda's Deep Ocean hair gel. same quality strong-hold gel at an affordable price. Likewise, I'll switch back to my old favorite Johnson & Johnson's Clean & Clear as my facial cleanser. By the way, try these products, my friend, they're really good!

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