Schwedenplatz, the subway station where I work, is very popular among promoters here in Vienna. Almost every day you find there different young people from several NGOs trying to talk you into a subscription or something. You can’t even imagine how many NGOs exist. I’m working at that place for 3 1/2 years now, seeing them every day and the list of NGOs seems endless (maybe I should document it, would be interesting if certain weekdays or months correlate with certain NGOs). Nothing against NGOs, I appreciate their work and commitment, and if I decide to support them I prefer doing it directly, without being convinced by and paying promoters.
What really bothers me is that promoters apparently lack of short time memory, I mean I’m asked every time when I pass that square – I’m asked in the morning going to work, I’m asked when I leave for lunch, I’m asked when coming back from lunch, I’m asked when leaving for or coming back from a meeting, I’m asked after work on my way home.
By far the worst time are the days of heavy NGO competition, when multiple promotion agencies attempt to stop you. My personal record is being asked six times, by six different promoters within a distance of 150 meters (on the way from my office to the bakery). Quite often it reminds me of a computer game, like find the quickest way through the promoters.
I already noticed that there must be something on my appearance that especially attracts promoters. For instance if I go there in the middle of a group of a few people, it’s very likely that promoters pick out me to jump on. Now the whole thing really got suspicious when a promoter once started his talk with “You are the perfect victim…”, that phrase really made me think. Maybe I should investigate undercover what promoters are being taught in their instruction camps.
Meanwhile I could put a sign on saying “I am not your stereotype promotion target!”.
