Re: Advertising and MLMs

xerxes (xerxes_at_clark.net)
Mon, 8 Jul 1996 13:14:34 -0400 (EDT)

• Messages sorted by: [ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]
• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Next message: Robert C. Alamilla: "Re: Advertising and MLMs"
• Previous message: Steve Harrison: "Advertising and MLMs"
• Maybe in reply to: Steve Harrison: "Advertising and MLMs"
• Next in thread: Robert C. Alamilla: "Re: Advertising and MLMs"

There are some MLMs that have been quite successful without the least hint
of any scam whatever.
I recall my B-school professors using an HBS case study of Mary Kay
cosmetics for example. It was a good example of business practice
innovation well adapted to a specialized niche.

I agree with Steve that MLM is in no way a guarantee of a scam.

There have been some MLM-like schemes that have been scams, of course, just
as virtually any other industry segment. The accusations have really been
flying lately. My own position has always been, "let a 1000 flowers
bloom". If an advertising method works, use it. If it does not work,
don't. I strongly object to accusations designed to suppress commercial
speech.

At 9:40 AM 7/8/96, Steve Harrison wrote:

snip

At least with
>the wording of what I was seeing in the digests, the idea seemed to be that
>*all* MLMs are based on a "can't work" myth. I am left to wonder if what
>I'm actually reading is nothing more than professional jealousy between
>advertising folks and the folks who don't spend a lot of money advertising
>their product (MLMers). Of course, some - maybe even many or most - MLMs
>have a pretty shaky product to market. But, aren't we traditional and
>online advertising pros perfectly willing to represent and try to enhance
>sales of a less-than-perfect product?

> There were even comments which tried to knit together pyramid schemes (a
>true fraud) with network marketing (MLM). That is patently false, both
>legally and honestly, and smacks of simple "hooray for our side" chauvinism.

snip

> MLMs may never spend the dough advertising with us, but to falsely accuse
>the marketing system of being a "can't possibly succeed" and borderline
>fraudulent scam is to subject our own profession to the charge of spiteful
>jingoism.

• Archive Home Page
• Search
• Next message: Robert C. Alamilla: "Re: Advertising and MLMs"
• Previous message: Steve Harrison: "Advertising and MLMs"
• Maybe in reply to: Steve Harrison: "Advertising and MLMs"
• Next in thread: Robert C. Alamilla: "Re: Advertising and MLMs"

With an archive of more than 14,000 postings, since 1996 the Online Advertising Discussion List has been the Internet's leading forum focused on professional discussion of online advertising and online media buying and selling strategies, results, studies, tools, and media coverage. If you wish to join the discussion list, please use this link to sign up on the home page of the Online Advertising Discussion List.