A Different Kind of “WOW”
UPDATE: Make sure you read the addendum!
I can’t remember the last time I actually shopped at Best Buy, although it was probably the time I tried to get some dual-layer DVDs which were heavily advertised but, naturally, were out of stock. And while Best Buy’s Canadian/U.S. pricing differentials should give you pause, this story might make you totally re-think your shopping strategies over the next couple of weeks.
It’s kind of a long story, and the best part happened first, so you might want to read down to the punchline and then backtrack up to the start. Hey, I’ll freely admit I can’t tell a joke very well.
Improv Everywhere is a Manhattan-based, improvisational, culture-jamming group, and they’ve put together some pretty awesome “missions”, including one in which several dozen “agents” descended on a Best Buy store dressed in Best Buy drag — blue polo shirts, khakis and whatnot — and did so with the singular goal: to stand around in BB-like attire and, if approached by customers, be as helpful as possible without actually working. Bastards, I know, right?
So much so that the IE folks decided to have blue polo shirts crafted with the Best Buy logo replaced with a stylistically-similar “Improv Everywhere” tag. Well, you can probably guess what happened next. Best Buy’s legal team sent a cease-and-desist letter to both IE and Neighborhoodies, the company making the shirts. All well and good. They’re protecting their brand and only the most stridently anticorporate person would have a problem with that.
And then Scott Beale decided to blog about the IE parody shirts over at LaughingSquid.com. Claiming that the blog post was not reportage but promotion, Best Buy’s legal “experts” sent a cease-and-desist letter to Laughing Squid. Yes. Wow, indeed.
Now, there’s an argument to be made that petulant, nasty little bloggers are not journalists — and a stronger argument that mainstream media aren’t, either — but Best Buy’s legal action has accomplished only the following:
- raised interwebs awareness of Improv Everywhere, and their delightfully sweet missions
- raised interwebs awareness of Neighborhoodies, the company who made the IE parody shirts
- raised interwebs awareness of Laughing Squid, the Bay Area culture bloggers
- raised interwebs awareness of all the three-degrees-of-separation bloggers writing about this and, perhaps most tellingly…
- raised interwebs awareness of Best Buy’s apparently humourless, corporate bullying and apparent belief that the interwebs’ sole purpose is selling shit
By the way, Dell is offering some great machines this season, and their Canadian pricing on some packages is as good, if not better, than the U.S. arm.
Now go back and read about IE’s Best Buy Mission. Funny!
Addendum: Best Buy apologized for the C&D letter to Laughing Squid. I know, right? Scott Beale reports:
[...] “Best Buy did the right thing here, by quickly responding and issuing the retraction their legal threats against a blog that was simply reporting on another situation.
I think this will serve as a great example to other companies whose legal department sends out these demand letters without fully researching the situation or considering the possible negative PR that they can generate. My advise [sic] to companies regarding situations like this is that their PR departments should become more involved and aware of what their legal departments are doing with regards to the community at large.”
Shucks, and I already bought my new computer from Dell.
One comment
I feel you jim, Primus is the worst company. it is very bad that they carry Canada name behind their name “Primus”, I signed up for the VOIP and it was the worst choice I have ever made. then I decided to more to regular phone line and they asked for $50 connection fee. it took them 7 days to transfer the phone. my family lived with no phone or internet for complete 7 days. then they offered me a very good offer on the internet. so they promised me to get the internet and they never did. I lived without internet for about a week again. then I said fuck it and called Rogers and got a phone service and internet from them it took them 1 day to set everything. I rather pay more but not to live in this shit.
Great photos
I agree with Mark. I do not find this movie depressing per say … but simply brilliantly written. I have the whole show memorized too … and I can watch it over and over again. And God bless Leonard Frey … what an actor !
My dear sir:
It has come to my attention by means of my attentiveness that you haven’t said much lately. Ahem ahem. If you let it go to a month, you’ll start to grow the impression that you have to explain, blah blah, and that the post has to be awesome to compensate etc. I therefore must urge you with great urgings to get something up here before November 24th. You can talk about how mustache-growing affects kissing on the part of the kisser (I know about the kissee already). Or the weather. What you had for lunch. I’m just saying, immediate action must be taken to avoid certain disaster. Or something. Please. Pretty please.
K primus is shit..
heres the story..
2008. My modem fucked up randomly, took them 1 month to fix it wdf 1 month? idiots much.
Now 2009,
My modem works all lights are on, BUT INTERNET DOESNT WORK, i call them up im like, why aint my interent working? all lights are on the damn modem. and some indian fucker says TO LOGIN WITH MY PASS AND USER ON 192.168.*.***
I do that still doesnt work, Then he shuts the phone on me,
Well then, im moving to shaw, and im not paying there bills no matter what, They wont let me cancle it since its under my dead wife, So They can suck on it, im not paying for shit. Gg primus, your company sucks, a bunch of kids can overwhlem it.
Soooo…Where the F are you? You can’t tell me that life in Van is so fabulously awesome that there is nothing to complain about! Is that city so perfect, are the roads so pothole free, are the politicians so straight that there is nothing to talk about? Or.. are you sick … that tiresome sinus issue you have? Us loving followers (yes from Toronto) need to know?
@anne & SkippyBoy: Thanks for the votes advocating more posts. They’re coming. Truth is, I’ve been working more hours than usual and diving, headfirst and enthusiastically, into establishing a social network here in Vancouver. Life is good here, very good.
Sometimes, I feel sad that there’s so much negativity on the Internet. Whether or not you like, dislike, or have no particular opinion on someone, I just don’t think it’s very nice to be so mean.
I guess I just wish people were sweeter.
This is terrible. I was on another site http://www.timhortonsfranchise.com and see they don’t treat thier franchisees any better. This is disgusting what a giant corporation can do. Spread the word.
I think it’s JUST adorable! There’s something rather touching about the small pox and polio notes to me. You’re right Brett, it’s become something better than useful, it’s become art.
let me add a voice to those advocating more posts. i miss you too and will keep checking.
hope you guys have great holidays in your new home.
I’m adding my voice to the chorus of people who want, nay, NEED posts from you, Brett. Please post soon! We miss the Canadian snark!
Missing ya, man, but glad it’s for good reasons, not bad. Hope to see you posting again soon!