Comments on: Marketing when you couldn’t give it away for free http://danielpatricio.com/2009/07/15/marketing-when-you-couldnt-give-it-away-for-free/ Rethinking how we communicate, collaborate and innovate Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:32:59 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Andrew Lane http://danielpatricio.com/2009/07/15/marketing-when-you-couldnt-give-it-away-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1151 Andrew Lane Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:50:17 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=294#comment-1151 So that's how they get those rock-bottom prices! So that's how they get those rock-bottom prices!

]]> By: danielpatricio http://danielpatricio.com/2009/07/15/marketing-when-you-couldnt-give-it-away-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1149 danielpatricio Thu, 16 Jul 2009 02:15:03 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=294#comment-1149 I will forgive the pun because it was artfully done. On the topic of milk and bags... It is an industry secret that shopping channels make their money on the shipping not the actual product hence the ridiculous 2 for 1 deals. I will forgive the pun because it was artfully done.

On the topic of milk and bags…

It is an industry secret that shopping channels make their money on the shipping not the actual product hence the ridiculous 2 for 1 deals.

]]> By: Andrew Lane http://danielpatricio.com/2009/07/15/marketing-when-you-couldnt-give-it-away-for-free/comment-page-1/#comment-1148 Andrew Lane Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:43:31 +0000 http://danielpatricio.com/?p=294#comment-1148 Daniel - I think that you couldn't have possibly made the point better when you note that "Free is not a radical new business model but a tried and true marketing strategy that has been pivotal in the adoption of iconic brands for over a century". The issue is that there are new businesses (internet video being a particularly compelling example) that haven't fully wrapped their head around this old idea. If you're going to give a product away, it needs to be a loss leader to sell another, as Google has shown us time and again, and as you point out. I just fear that, as per your question, there are people out there giving away the milk and not bothering to even produce the bag - in which case they'll just end up crying over spilled milk. Great post. Sorry to ruin it with that last pun.... Daniel – I think that you couldn't have possibly made the point better when you note that "Free is not a radical new business model but a tried and true marketing strategy that has been pivotal in the adoption of iconic brands for over a century". The issue is that there are new businesses (internet video being a particularly compelling example) that haven't fully wrapped their head around this old idea. If you're going to give a product away, it needs to be a loss leader to sell another, as Google has shown us time and again, and as you point out.
I just fear that, as per your question, there are people out there giving away the milk and not bothering to even produce the bag – in which case they'll just end up crying over spilled milk.
Great post. Sorry to ruin it with that last pun….

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