EE, You've Been Had

[Virgil Showlion]

Some of you may recall the "Miracle Machine" thread from last year, about a machine that could putatively produce gourmet wine from water and select ingredients.

A recent discussion about a makeshift food replicator got me thinking about the "Miracle Machine" and I went back to see what had become of it.

What I found was the following (the very link as in the OP of the original thread):

themiraclemachine.net

That's right, EE: we were had!

It was a "disruptive marketing campaign" for a charity. The actual product being marketed isn't a water-to-wine maker, it's a wine-to-water distiller, and their goal is to entice people of means to buy one for a third-world family in need.

I've never seen a marketing campaign like this before. Judging by the irate comments in the "reveal" video, there may be a good reason for that.

What say you? Dirty tactic? Brilliant marketing ploy? Have you ever come across another campaign like this?

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

There are sleazy marketing campaigns/"charitable causes" being started up daily.

I don't recall that thread but as David Hannum said about Barnum & Bailey's side-show:

"Many people are gullible, and we can expect this to continue."

It was later often mis-quoted as "There's a sucker born every minute".

[Deleted]

I missed the original campaign & discussion. But it was never launched as a Kickstarter & they didn't take money from anyone, so what is the big deal?

People being bitchy about being diverted to a clean water campaign are just being stupid & self centered.

Here, spend some time on E-Nable instead & learn about kids without hands getting 3D printed functional hands from involved people world-wide: enablingthefuture.org/
Please note that the site is posted for educational purposes, however somewhere on there will be a donations tab, so don't go on that. Its just to make a point that getting pissed off about not being able to turn your water into wine at home is a damn moronic thing to be irritated about. There are people with MUCH bigger problems in this world.

**Disclaimer: Part of my day today has been spent ranting about self centered people who are more concerned with flaunting their wealth than doing anything meaningful for anyone else in the world. I am VERY disappointed in my generation at the moment. 

[Virgil Showlion]

May 20, 2015 0:33:32 GMT -5 @rockit said:

I missed the original campaign & discussion. But it was never launched as a Kickstarter & they didn't take money from anyone, so what is the big deal?

People being bitchy about being diverted to a clean water campaign are just being stupid & self centered.

Here, spend some time on E-Nable instead & learn about kids without hands getting 3D printed functional hands from involved people world-wide: enablingthefuture.org/
Please note that the site is posted for educational purposes, however somewhere on there will be a donations tab, so don't go on that. Its just to make a point that getting pissed off about not being able to turn your water into wine at home is a damn moronic thing to be irritated about. There are people with MUCH bigger problems in this world.

**Disclaimer: Part of my day today has been spent ranting about self centered people who are more concerned with flaunting their wealth than doing anything meaningful for anyone else in the world. I am VERY disappointed in my generation at the moment.

I didn't mind the 'gotcha' either, and I don't consider the campaign "sleazy" as SL characterizes it, but I can understand why "guilt marketing" might backfire.

As a general rule, people don't like to be deceived unless the deceit makes them feel good (e.g. flattery, election promises, "everything is going to be OK", etc.). They're probably not in the ideal state of mind for a charity plug after being rick roll'd on a cheap booze hunt.

[Deleted]

Virgil Showlion But no one gave money, so why are they upset about being 'deceived'? If they had taken money under false pretenses then I think they would have something to cry about. I am kind of sad they didn't take money because they probably would have pulled in a million or so. 

People are so weird about kickstarter. It's not like you are a Venture Capital investor, you don't get a part interest in the product or business. At best you might get a product.

I need a big baby emoticon Virgil. It would come in handy!

[NancysSummerSip]

I need a big baby emoticon Virgil. It would come in handy!

[Virgil Showlion]

May 20, 2015 9:11:15 GMT -5 @rockit said:

Virgil Showlion But no one gave money, so why are they upset about being 'deceived'? If they had taken money under false pretenses then I think they would have something to cry about. I am kind of sad they didn't take money because they probably would have pulled in a million or so. 

People are so weird about kickstarter. It's not like you are a Venture Capital investor, you don't get a part interest in the product or business. At best you might get a product.

I need a big baby emoticon Virgil. It would come in handy!

I don't even think the angst is about the kickstarter aspect of it.

Here are a few of the comments where the angry wine drinkers elaborate a bit:

Um, this campaign should be in textbooks to demonstrate how NOT to reach "people of means." If your cause isn't just enough, nor your organization distinct enough, to separate people from their charitable dollars, re-think your position instead of lying. Incredulous.

okay, you got me. i'm a sucker. i saw the MM - watched your video, and shared it with a few friends and colleagues, some were suspicious (wine koolaid) - and of course now we find out this is a stupid fraud to get 'our' attention about water in Darfur. Honestly - I could give a rats ass about Dafur - and I'll surely never give a penny now that you've pulled this stupid hoax. If you want a serious issue to be taken seriously then well.... be [...] serious. What you've done is made a lot of people feel stupid, what you've done is make yourselves look stupid - under the guise of 'don't be mad at us it's a good cause' - worst is you've wasted our time and used our network in an already saturated environment. should be a case study in how NOT to promote a cause - just shows low class and bad form. The block of wood isn't the miracle machine it's you two fools.

I just join Vimeo to post this comment. You guys make me hate everyone on this planet. I probably would have donated if you told me the machine was real and this was a charity you guys were a part of. Now I will be doing everything I can to make their water even more dirty. F U.

So... yeah.

Pretty much all the comments are this, until they locked down commenting.

For the record: I agree with you. I have no idea why people are this upset over it. Even the comments don't offer a lot of insight as to why. It seems that people felt stupid for believing the stunt (I don't know why; it was a very well-run marketing campaign, very plausible) and the dose of humility didn't go down too smoothly.

Maybe it was just the ticked off ones who decided to comment.

[Deleted]

I'll bet you $100 bucks (to your favorite charity) that those commenters never donate any of their money to ANYONE!!!!!!

[Virgil Showlion]

May 20, 2015 10:36:58 GMT -5 @rockit said:

I'll bet you $100 bucks (to your favorite charity) that those commenters never donate any of their money to ANYONE!!!!!!

Nope.

Especially now that the one guy hates everybody on Earth.

[lexxy703]

Wow I can't believe how angry & hostile those people got.  I wonder if they told everyone they know about it & now feel foolish.

[wyouser]

Geez, does this mean the chemistry kit I bought off the tag from that site "won't" really turn lead to gold??  There goes another retirement planning system out the window!

[MarleyKeezy78]

I thought everyone knew this was fake   

[Deleted]

May 20, 2015 16:11:23 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

I thought everyone knew this was fake   

I'm pretty sure that the EE team would have invented it first if it was possible    Get on it ladies!!!