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thadjock

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so, after a awkward/tense chat with my mailman (I'm sure he's repressing something big) i've been flipping through my AMEX '09 membership rewards program guide he brought me.

and on pg. 38 in the casual dining section there's a half page pic of a resturant and every table has only guys at it, one couple has a 3rd guy standing behind one of the seated guys with his hands on his shoulders leaning in tight and theyre' both smiling really big. they're the two hottest guys, though there's one in the background in soft focus that might be cute, hard to tell.

other same sex pairs on pg. 25(lesbian); pg.26(gay interracial); pg.34 (lesbian); and pg 29&33(solo guys most likely lookin at gay porn on their puters)

I'd like to hear from somebody else who got theirs recently too, because i'm curious if they all have the same content or if AMEX has me flagged as a card carrying butt bandit and profiles their brochure content accordingly or if they just play to the gay with subtle subtext graphics and their str8 customers aren't offended cuz they dont' notice it?
 
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D_Rod Staffinbone

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AMEX '09 membership rewards program guide

if AMEX has me flagged as a card carrying butt bandit and profiles their brochure content accordingly or if they just play to the gay with subtle subtext graphics and their str8 customers aren't offended cuz they dont' notice it?

i think that could happen. people get "profiled" in databases based on their purchases, zipcodes, etc.
i've gotten on mailing lists for stuff like "undergear" and others, never knew how it happened,
always suspected a guy i used to work with who had a thing for me, but was never really sure...

there's a whole cottage industry for those who are able to buy AMEX's "butt bandit" database.

i cancelled my membership rewards after paying the card off and cashing in the points. a couple thousand points only got me a $100 gift card (banana republic). it's kindof a scam.
 
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HazelGod

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there's a whole cottage industry for those who are able to buy AMEX's "butt bandit" database.

Not just the butt-bandits, but every other demographic subsegment you can imagine marketers targeting. This is one of things that pisses me off the most about the financial industry as a whole...they're allowed to stockpile customer data and then use it to turn a profit by reselling it to advertisers. Nobody can compete with them (AmEx, Visa, MC) because...duh...nobody else has a direct line into people's buying habits and credit patterns.




i cancelled my membership rewards after paying the card off and cashing in the points. a couple thousand points only got me a $100 gift card (banana republic). it's kindof a scam.

It's not a scam. Those points are worth basically a penny each (a 1% return) at many retailers. After a few years of racking up AmEx points, I cashed in a couple hundred thousand of them for Home Depot gift cards and put new floors in my house.

@ the OP: I'll have to check my mail for the next reward catalog and let you know what I see..
 

thadjock

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Not just the butt-bandits, but every other demographic subsegment you can imagine marketers targeting. This is one of things that pisses me off the most about the financial industry as a whole...they're allowed to stockpile customer data and then use it to turn a profit by reselling it to advertisers. Nobody can compete with them (AmEx, Visa, MC) because...duh...nobody else has a direct line into people's buying habits and credit patterns.





It's not a scam. Those points are worth basically a penny each (a 1% return) at many retailers. After a few years of racking up AmEx points, I cashed in a couple hundred thousand of them for Home Depot gift cards and put new floors in my house.

@ the OP: I'll have to check my mail for the next reward catalog and let you know what I see..

hmm, i dunno, if they actually did "customize" this thing for me and others like me on my team, it makes me feel a little more appreciated. at least they didn't send me a catalog filled with pages of disney cruise offers illustrated with pictures of statistical white, 1.8 kid families. or those black families that are even whiter

the only disappointing part is that it didn't indicate how many membership rewards points i'd have to redeem to get the dude with the beard and striped shirt from page 38 to come over for a weekend of carnal indescretions....:biggrin1:

PS: glad u got ur floors, i've never redeemed any of mine, i'm around 250k, goin for some exotic travel/lodging i think
 

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just looked over my "Departures" mailing, and it doesn't show any indication

closest would be a limey-looking twink on page 13

and a couple of Euro-looking metrosexual types that look like they're about to enter an automobile on page 60

don't see how they could have overlooked me -- use that card at all sort of fag hangouts

feel so left out:disappointed:
 

thadjock

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just looked over my "Departures" mailing, and it doesn't show any indication

closest would be a limey-looking twink on page 13

and a couple of Euro-looking metrosexual types that look like they're about to enter an automobile on page 60

don't see how they could have overlooked me -- use that card at all sort of fag hangouts

feel so left out:disappointed:

i think i tossed mine. if i looked at it i don't remember anything xtra gay about it.
 

thadjock

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well maybe they are pandering for profit but i AM more likely to patronize a business or service that at least acknowledges my POV. alot of businesses won't risk alienating anybody with anything that's the least bit out of the mainstream.

I guess i'm ok with card cos. tracking my buying patterns, I don't see it as an invasion of privacy. ur smart fone is used for marketing too. so is everywhere u go on the web, it's the 21st c. get used to it.
 

B_Nick4444

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the only problem I've had that with that is that they're excluding presentations of other thing I may be interested in, that have nothing to do with that

Amazon is forever sending me e-mails, or presenting me books on economics and finance, which means that as I pour over those descriptions, I may miss out on say, a a new book on philosophy or art history
 

thadjock

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I'll go with you on that trip. I've got scads of points, too.

ya the travel is the only thing they offer that makes any sense to me. the consumer stuff (electronics, sports equip, etc) is a scam, they want like 120k points for a golf club and it's a piece of crap u can go out and buy for a couple hundred bucks, doesn't seem like a good trade. i'd rather blow it to upgrade to first class air to an island or somewhere.

 

thadjock

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Amazon is forever sending me e-mails, or presenting me books on economics and finance, which means that as I pour over those descriptions, I may miss out on say, a a new book on philosophy or art history

oh i luv that amazon software that picks "selections" for thad based on other stuff i've bought, i think i give it a serious cramp because it can't ever anticipate HOW i think or WHAT i'd buy. some of their picks are hilarious, and it's stuff i'd NEVER buy.

the best way to defeat programmed marketing is to keep using ur erratic human brain.
 

Bbucko

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Personally, I prefer "truffle nudger" :biggrin1:

One of my favorite reactionary expressions, undoubtedly said in a recoiled horror with much pearl-clutching in evidence is "The love that dared not speak its name now won't shut up!"

Priceless!

In a more serious vein: as someone who spent years reaching out and pandering to highly specific demographics (mine were Empty Nesters, Second Marriages and Same-Sex Couples), none of this was very surprising to me. Folks who are really good at what they do are not just capable of targeted marketing, it's how they pay the rent. I see this as a positive use of IT.