Raspunsul este: celui dezamagit. Asa cum mi s-a intamplat mie.

Am participat la un chestionar telefonic condus de redactia unei reviste pentru femei (nu dau nume, dar alte fete care se regasesc in acest mesaj sigur vor intelge despre ce revista este vorba).

Este o revista pe care o citesc regulat si la ale carei concursuri particip. Subiectul chestionarului a fost parerea mea vis-à-vis de cadourile oferite alaturi de ea. Am fost sincera in raspunsurile mele, deoarece doresc sa primesc lucruri de calitate pentru banii mei.

Zilele trecute am primit prin curierat cadoul promis in schimbul participarii la chestionar: o geanta si un DVD. Mare surpriza: DVD-ul il aveam, la fel si geanta, dar in alta culoare. De ce? Pentru ca citesc revista, o cumpar lunar, la fel si cadourile care vin cu ea. Lucru pe care cei de la redactie il stiau, era chiar o intrebare in chestionar: Cat de des cititi revista. Ma mira faptul ca si-au reciclat cadourile care nu s-au vandut in lunile trecute si nu s-au gandit ca cititoarele revistei au deja acele cadouri. Sau poate s-au gandit, dar nu le-a pasat sau au crezut ca avem nevoie de mai multe exemplare din acelasi lucru.

Asadar, in loc de surpriza, a fost o mare dezamagire. Acum trebuie sa caut o prietena care are nevoie de DVD-ul ala, iar gentii sa-i caut o utilizare inteligenta ca are o culoare mai … aparte.

Din aceasta experienta s-au desprins urmatoarele concluzii pentru editurile revistelor glossy pentru femei:

1. Nu subestimati cititoarele. Niciodata! O cititoare dezamagita va ezita sa cumpere revista luna viitoare si cu siguranta va vorbi cu colegele ei despre asta.
2. Nu oferiti cadouri reciclate! Este un gest de prost gust care nu va trece neobservat.
3. Cadoul bun vinde revista proasta. Dar nu pentru mult timp!
4. Revista buna se vinde si fara cadou. Insa o surpriza din cand in cand nu strica nimanui.

Personal, mi-e dor de concursurile de cultura generala pe care le avea revista Avantaje la inceputurile ei. Erau interesante, captivante, educative si te obligau sa-ti pui mintea la munca.

Tu ce parere ai despre toata nebunia asta cu cadourile oferite de reviste si alte produse?

[English Version]

In Romania, the most sold women’s glossy magazines are the ones with gifts: small size cosmetics, samples, DVDs, purses, scarves, T-shirts… I took part recently in a pool run by such a magazine who wanted to know my opinion on the gifts issue. In return, I would receive a … gift for my time and effort.

I was honest and clear in my answers and I hope I helped them to give us better gifts along with the magazine. Yesterday, I got the promised gift and I was really exciting until…I opened the envelope. Inside was a DVD – which I already owned – and a purse – which I already owned, but in a different color. Why? Because I buy and read the magazine monthly! Which was why they called me in the first place.

The whole surprise gift idea turned into another problem for me: which friend of mine needs that DVD and what purse should I keep and give the other one?

I am very disappointed in all this gift-from-magazines business and I’m not sure it’s worth all my trouble finding / buying them.

A few tips for the editors came to my mind from this experience:

1. Magazines should never underestimate their readers! A disappointed reader will hesitate to buy the magazine next month and will talk about it with her colleagues.
2. Do not recycle gifts! It’s a gesture of bad taste that will not go unnoticed.
3. A nice gift will sell a bad magazine. But not on the long run!
4. A good magazine will be sold even without a gift. But a nice surprise now and then is surely welcomed!

If you are a foreigner, tell us what kinds of gifts are offered by the women’s glossy magazines in your country. What do you think about them?