freebies

Hello!

Melbourne Uni had their open day today, and it seemed to me like getting as many freebies as possible was more important than the course advice. To be honest I wasn't particularly excited in getting most of these, mostly because by and large they don't serve much purpose other than advertise the university once they get home. It got me thinking, why do we love these freebies so much?

Personally, I reckon we like them because of the initial thrill of receiving. I mean seriously, how amazing are most of the freebies once you get home? they'll probably go to some dark corner of your room, or just sit somewhere never to be useful again. However, that instant when you receive the gift, the moment the person says 'here you go', there's the rush that comes from receiving without having to give anything back in return.

Is it as thrilling as getting a present from a friend? probably. Is it as thrilling as buying the same object? probably not.

See the thing is, I don't think it has got much to do with the money you save. Wow, a free sausage! Wow, a free pen! yet how much do these things cost? a few dollars at most. Time and again we pay a few bucks at KFC or maccas or wherever we feel like, and we do not grumble about the prices. Despite what many of us claim, in reality i think many of us aren't too concerned about saving money, certainly not saving the few dollars for lunch, pens and a few soft teddies. Unlike my mother, who I remembered was annoyed that at a petrol station in nz that they rounded up 86c to 90c (they phased out the 5c coins).

I think the excitement of freebies comes from the moment of receiving, and possibly the moment of using (or eating as the case may be). After all, people who don't know you are GIVING you things FOR FREE! For many, it is irresistible, and even waiting in line for 15-20 minutes for some food is no deterrent.

Although many of us will probably not admit it, I believe that receiving feels special because we feel loved. We feel loved and special when someone we know give us a present, regardless of how badly thought out it is. It is the same for freebies, except perhaps it is even more special because the givers don't even know us. But the question is, why are they doing this? Why are they giving us these free items?

Advertising.

It is a powerful yet extremely subtle kind of advertising. These freebies spread around by word of mouth:
'grill'd are giving out vouchers for free chips!'
'did you get the freebies from optus?'
'I got so many freebies from melbourne uni open day!

See, it is impossible to talk about what you received without talking about where you got it from; who is doing the giving. It is a subtle message, one which some of us are not even aware of. And yet it is there.

This is so powerful that in the health industry, some people seriously want to boycott company sponsored medical lectures because of the effect it has on doctors. They feel that because of all the perks these doctors receive, it will make them prescribe drugs when better ones are available because of this subliminal advertising. It is a practice which has been going on for years and years, and its not cheap; dinner for hundreds of guests rarely is.

Why would pharmaceutical companies splash out on feeding hundreds of doctors for free if it wasn't useful and producing results?

It is similar to these open days. Although some shamelessly admit that they are going to open days for the freebies, many others will probably find excuses like 'homework' and 'too far' if such open days did not offer these trinkets.

However, I am by no means condoning getting these freebies; I admit that I waited today with a friend for 20 or so minutes in the rain today just so I could get some lunch, and although I claim that I go to open days for the information, I still cant help a pang of jealousy whenever I see friends with a stack of freebies, no matter how useless most of them are. Personally, I don't really mind the concept of freebies and how they compromise our judgement; after all, it is pretty much impossible to get information without bias these days anyway.

I guess the point of all of my rambling is this: take freebies, accept and embrace them; there is no harm in receiving free gifts! However, bear in mind that there is an underlying purpose behind these baubles, so don't let it brainwash you and overrule your better judgement!

Hope you understood most of that.

Loz