http://www.switched.com/2010/07/23/fancy-orchestra-goers-disturbed-by-lowly-text-marketing/ Switched Comments for Fancy Orchestra-Goers Disturbed by Lowly Text Marketing http://www.switched.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.switched.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/23/fancy-orchestra-goers-disturbed-by-lowly-text-marketing/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/23/fancy-orchestra-goers-disturbed-by-lowly-text-marketing/
The orchestra used text message marketing as it is supposed to be used. They engaged the audience and provided information such as the Facebook page and discounts. Who would be mad with that?]]>Jul 23rd 2010 2:14PMhttp://www.switched.com/2010/07/23/fancy-orchestra-goers-disturbed-by-lowly-text-marketing/http://www.switched.com/2010/07/23/fancy-orchestra-goers-disturbed-by-lowly-text-marketing/
Unless the orchestra clearly stated that people were opting in when they voted, this is nothing more than a bait and switch tactic. Voting is NOT opting in, and unless it is clearly explained that way it is considered spam.

They could have avoided all of this simply by sending a reply message to the vote with an OPT-IN to receive further discounts and notices. This would have dispelled the feel of a deceptive marketing practice and allowed people to feel they were being invited into the program rather than hauled in by a common bait and switch scheme.

This is most definitely NOT how text marketing is "supposed to be used." And I believe the reaction was less of cultural snobbery than it was of resentment for employing such a practice, particularly to an orchestral consumer market which tends to be small and exclusive, but very devoted.

J. Guertin
President, Practical Text Marketing
http://practicaltext.com
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