Petron Astoria Hotel Raffle - FALSE PRETENSE MARKETING STRATEGY

April 19, 2013

Someone called my boyfriend to tell him that he won Petron’s Fill up and*something something* raffle. It included a dinner for two in Club Astoria Plaza somewhere near Mall of Asia and a Gift Certificate to stay in Astoria Hotel Bohol and some other international locations.

However, after the free dinner, we have to stay for a 90 minute presentation. I thought it would be like a promo for other things that the hotel offered that we could avail of, like the tours around Bohol or something.

He was soooo excited to tell me! We were both so happy. I started looking for flights to Tagbilaran and looking for tour packages and everything! We planned to celebrate our first anniversary in Bohol, with the Tarsiers.

But, we were skeptics. There was always this phrase in the air - sana totoo, sana hindi scam. (Eng: hope it’s real, hope it’s not a scam.)

First, we ignored our intuition - went on with our day until it was dinner time, we got all dressed up and were already in the car, on our way to Club Astoria Plaza. But something just kept bothering me.

I searched the internet immediately for reviews or comments about this “promo” - AND THANK GOD FOR THIS SITE: http://mmdc7.blogspot.com/2011/05/club-astoria-holiday-ownership-promo.html

In summary, the blogger stated these points:

  1. The free food is for real
  2. You will be constantly told that you can afford anything - that you are rich.
  3. You will not receive the Gift Certificate unless you pay some amount first (5,000php + + +) - which they claimed was ‘refundable’.
  4. They will present a contract for you, which you will feel obliged to sign - even more strings attached here, if you know what I mean.

So, to cut it even shorter, after reading the whole thing and it’s comments, it is NOT A SCAM, but something much worse.

Promo my ass! It was a very annoying and time consuming marketing strategy under false pretense of you being a ‘winner’ in their ‘raffle’.

Some of the comments say that they are now burdened with that contract, some even say that after a day of signing, they want to cancel it.

We never went to the free dinner - it was not worth the stress and disappointment. Never mind, we will go to Bohol some other time, and stay somewhere else.

Oh Astoria, to think, Boy Abunda is your endorser, you are internationally known -  yet your marketing strategy is as aggressive and as annoying as a pyramid scheme ambushing a person at Starbucks. *no offense to pyramid-ers out there, we all got our own taste of how we like our coffee - I just don’t like mine to be too head-on, if ‘ya catch my drift*

Well, as my Dad always says,

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

I’m at a crossroads. In just a few months time, I’m going to Australia - alone. To study the thing I programme I love most, leaving my friends, family and loved ones behind. I have very strong emotions running towards opposite directions. I think I’m actually going crazy. I think my brain can’t decide if I’m going to be scared out of my wits or be all Miss Independent on me. Guess I’m just excited and scared at the same time. I’m having dreams. I never really discussed with anyone how I felt about this situation / opportunity. I’ve always put up the ‘strong front’ thing going. “Living alone? Psssh. Piece of cake. Now I have the chance to be the woman I’ve always imagined myself to be.” Then comes the.. “You know you’re gonna cry on the airplane for the whole ride. YOU’RE LEAVING HOME. YOU’RE LEAVING HOME. You know you’re gonna cry yourself to sleep that night, and every night since - and NOBODY’S gonna be there for you. Not a soul that y’know. NOBODY. NOBODY! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA” Okay, that might just be the devil. But yeah, that’s a typical conversation on my mind. I think I’m fighting fears. How else can I muster up the courage to do it? I can let fear devour my very being, or let myself devour every inch of fear in me. I choose to be stronger. YOU HAVE TO BE YOUR OWN HERO. I know that it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to admit that you’re just pushing yourself - because you’re pushing for something better. Something that will benefit you in the near future. And hey, I’m lucky enough that my Dad let me study again. So fears, please, leave me alone - you devil.
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I’m at a crossroads.

In just a few months time, I’m going to Australia - alone. To study the thing I programme I love most, leaving my friends, family and loved ones behind.

I have very strong emotions running towards opposite directions.

I think I’m actually going crazy.

I think my brain can’t decide if I’m going to be scared out of my wits or be all Miss Independent on me.

Guess I’m just excited and scared at the same time.

I’m having dreams.

I never really discussed with anyone how I felt about this situation / opportunity.

I’ve always put up the ‘strong front’ thing going.

“Living alone? Psssh. Piece of cake. Now I have the chance to be the woman I’ve always imagined myself to be.”

Then comes the..

“You know you’re gonna cry on the airplane for the whole ride. YOU’RE LEAVING HOME. YOU’RE LEAVING HOME. You know you’re gonna cry yourself to sleep that night, and every night since - and NOBODY’S gonna be there for you. Not a soul that y’know. NOBODY. NOBODY! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

Okay, that might just be the devil. But yeah, that’s a typical conversation on my mind.

I think I’m fighting fears.

How else can I muster up the courage to do it?

I can let fear devour my very being, or let myself devour every inch of fear in me. I choose to be stronger.

YOU HAVE TO BE YOUR OWN HERO.

I know that it’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to admit that you’re just pushing yourself - because you’re pushing for something better. Something that will benefit you in the near future.

And hey, I’m lucky enough that my Dad let me study again.

So fears, please, leave me alone - you devil.