Sunday, October 15, 2006

My birthday "rewards"....

Enterprising merchants and establishments never miss the opportunities to make money out of us. On my birthday, Metro sent me discount vouchers, subtly disguised as "birthday cards", and cleverly designed with the hope of making me part with my hard-earned money.

Look at how pretty the card is. It tells me that "I don't need an excuse to shop (since) it's my birthday".



On close inspection, the card is really a sleeve in which several discount vouchers from various merchants were enclosed, all aimed to squeeze money out of me. One of the vouchers calls out:



This is what was written on the overleaf of the voucher.



What a minute.... SK-II? Isn't that the company whose products caused a health scare recently in the region for having potentially harmful chemical? Besides, why should a grown man like me be using facial products? Did Metro think that I'm a Metrosexual? A male super model? How presumptuous!

If this is not bad enough, the next voucher with its attention-grabbing shiny and luminous background tells me that "I got to look great on my birthday", (and implying that it's okay for me to look shabby for the other 364 days.)



On the overleaf is a sales promotion for, horror of horrors, a make-up session and a Personal Make-over session at Sisley Paris.



I was angry with the first voucher. But now, I was hopping mad! Did Metro think that I'm a transvestite? Or worse, a transsexual? I've nothing against men who dress as fairies, nor fellow human beings who have opted to go under the knife for some very personal reasons. But Metro has all my personal details and particulars, and has no reason to think I'm a female. Unless Metro presumes that I either have a girlfriend or a wife and that these cards are actually meant for them? In which case, Metro should have rephrased the wordings in those vouchers to reflect as such, rather than using statements which are all politically incorrect!

I don't like these cards one bit. They're presumptuous and downright "sexist" and probably are the product of "mass production". Whatever happened to "personalised service"? Metro should have something for the male species on their big days. Say, for example, a discount voucher to the gym? (not to say that the females don't use the gym, but the incidents of the males going to the gym is statistically higher). Or perhaps a discount voucher for lessons on rollerblading? That would be nice, and it would mean that I don't have to depend on Victor to coach me...... considering that the last time he rollerbladed skated was DECADES ago?? LOL.

Category: Musings

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

haha! this is so funny uncle chris :p i hv a faintest suspicion that they send the same kind of vouchers to everybody, irregardless of sex, race or religion. they must be thinking that you'll be thankful to receive something and not complain. who knows, you're actually alot more smarter than they think you might be. heh.

if that is not "insincere" enough, i always receive some goon goon vouchers from NTUC income on my birthday, signed by some agent whom i don't remember having contacted, or at least communicated with, for the last 20 years. but its always him, year in year out, his lovely signature on a computerized birthday card, without failed. along with the those "wonderful" vouchers. awww im so touched *sniffs*

Anonymous said...

Talking about vochures, I noticed that women tends to read and pay more attention to it as if they got a good bargain. The only vochures that interest me is the discount vochures from petroleum companies giving good discounts. As for vochures from departmental stalls sent to me, they usually ended up in the rubbish bins.

Victor said...

Those are "vouchers" sent out by "vultures". Grow up Chris, nothing is for free, except skating lessons from one who skated decades ago. Take it or leave it.

Lam Chun See said...

I got one from NTUC Income that was quite good. A free entry to Bt Chandu museum. But sadly didn't find the time.

I dislike those loyalty points thing where you have to log into some website and follow 100 steps just to redeem a few dollars worth gifts.

Chris Sim said...

Evan - Speaking of which, I realised NTUC Income didn't send me any cards at all this year ... But I know what u mean.... it always the same card with discount vounchers each year...

Chuck - You're absolutely right. Women tend to be more observant and read the fine print... We men rather "chuck" it. Haha.

Victor - Grow up? I just grew another year older wat. Heheh.. Are you still in a position to coach me rollerblading or not? Don't "geh geh lai" hor... :P

Chun See - The entrance to Bt Chandu museum is only $2. How cheapo can NTUC Income get? Hee. BTW, Bt Chandu is very near to my workplace. I had been to the museum once but had gone to Bt Chandu many times. It is very quiet and nice place. I took some pictures and wanted to blog about it. Then I discovered there was so many websites, official and unofficial on Bt Chandu....

Anonymous said...

Forgive those businessmen. The main thing in their mind is making money. I do sympatize with those SMEs trying to cope with high overheads and hit-the-roof rentals.