CHICAGO, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Attendees at the Promotion Marketing Association's (PMA) annual Marketing Conference were asked to weigh in on the "Homeless Hotspot" program that has exploded across media outlets yesterday and today. The 50 respondents included some of the country's leading marketers gathered in Chicago for Game Changers 2012; an event centered on brand building. They were equally divided among corporate marketing executives, marketing agency personnel, and industry analysts.
Like much of the public opinion - which ranged from harsh criticism to staunch defense - the professionals were split in their assessment of the edgy tactic in which homeless volunteers around Austin's South by Southwest Conference served as walking mobile "hot spots" offering 4G service in exchange for a small donation.
The survey asked the marketers to describe the program with one of four phrases and yielded the following results:
1. Despicable | 3% |
2. Good idea, but poorly executed | 46% |
3. Socially responsible and forward thinking | 40% |
4. Brilliant | 11% |
SOURCE Promotion Marketing Association
