Published since 2005. San Francisco is a city that belongs to the people of the world. Hence this blog has a global focus. The name "Sam Spade's San Francisco" refers to an exciting era in the City's history, the time of Dashiell Hammett's fictional gumshoe and San Francisco character, Sam Spade. My name is Tom Dunn and I edit the blog. I'm not as exciting as Sam Spade, but I am definitely a San Francisco character.Contact or on Twitter -- Search blog below.
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Tuesday, May 23, 2006
5,000 Wallets Dropped in San Francisco
Zone Labs is a San Francisco based Internet security software company. This week they decided to try guerilla marketing. They began dropping "lost wallets" throughout San Francisco.
The company then tracked what happened to them after they were discovered.Inside each of the 5,000 wallets was information on how to report the discovery on Zone Labs' Web site. Those who follow the directions in the wallets and go online to the Zone Labs site have a chance of winning prizes, including discount coupons for one of the company's software products.
Panhandlers, drug addicts and drunks seem to have found most of the wallets. Upon discovering the wallets held neither cash nor credit cards, the wallets were dumped in trash cans and back alleys ... not exactly what Zone Labs expected.
Those of us who make San Francisco our home know all too well that panhandlers are aggressive, pushy and invasive. Most of the common panhandlers that plague tourists and visitors coming to San Francisco are addicted to crack cocaine. A smaller percentage are addicted to heroin and there are, of course, a percentage who are alcoholics.
Dropping 5,000 wallets on San Francisco streets in an experiment to draw attention to Zone Labs is not a well-thought plan. This scheme emphasizes the fact the Zone Labs and many of the silicon valley cyber giants are real-life naive and generally street-stupid. Any San Franciscan who has been here a few years could have told them as much.
Many of us remember when IBM paid some guerilla advertising firm to stencil message logos on San Francisco sidewalks. They did so without getting permission. The advertising scheme backfired in IBM's face. IBM was guilty of vandalism against city property. They became a public nuisance. They also paid $100,000 to the City to have the stenciled graffiti removed.
Zone Labs appears not to have learned from the IBM error in judgment. Leaving 5,000 wallets on city streets is a tactic that will accomplish nothing more than stirring-up and exciting the criminal element.Zone Labs is creating problems for San Francisco and creating an atmosphere in which further crime is entirely likely.
Next time Zone Labs has a half-baked idea I hope they talk to the SFPD and the Mayor's Office to get the City's input before executing a guerilla advertising gimmick.If this is an example of Zone Labs maturity and professionalism, I'm afraid I am not at all impressed. When it comes to a secuity software firm, I want one that is sharp as tacks and tough as nails ... not a company that demonstrates that it is clueless when it comes to real life.
3 comments:
said...
My Dad got a call one day from the SFPD --they found the perp who'd jack'd his wallet. Inside his apartment was a MOUND of stolen wallets; a few of which like his, still had ID in them so they could be reunited with their owners. I guess sooner or later anything can become a site-specific art installation in The City
Tuesday, May 23, 2006 2:33:00 PM PDT
said...
I actually picked up one of those...threw it back on the street! I thought it was big joke on me!!!
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 7:41:00 AM PDT
said...
I saw your posting which wsa okay except this quote, which pissed me off because its sterotyping and stigmatizing based on opinion (as a new resident to SF):
'Those of us who make San Francisco our home know all too well that most panhandlers are aggressive, pushy and invasive.'
I would say, 'Those of us that have lived here for most of our lives (30+) who helped build the home we all call San Francisco, know too well that a very small percentage of panhandlers are agressive and pushy.
This type of peson is rare.
If you see a lot of agressive panhandlers, then, that means hundreds of times more San Franciscan Residents that are panhandlers, are scattered everywhere else that are NOT aggressive.
And many more times that sub group, are homeless people that do not panhandle.
I work with people all over this city in shelters, on the streets and in SRO's and the panhandlers (and the poor and homeless) I've seen, by and large are NOT agressive.
That's 30 years of observations and working with statistical data and first hand.
Another thing I have noticed in 30 years, that a large percentage of people not from here (or less than 5 years) tend to be judgemental, resentful, upset and pissed off at all kinds of 'groups' of people that they do not want to see exist in this community.
Older San Franciscans have evolved past this child-like 'push down' 'push away' reaction for a more adult, civil approach.
We stopped doing 'group thought' and 'group mentality' and 'group labelling' a long time ago.
Its so much more smart and efficient to call out individuals to be accountable for their personal behavior that leave all that 'group think' behind because its never accurate and only offends lots of people.
3 comments:
My Dad got a call one day from the SFPD --they found the perp who'd jack'd his wallet. Inside his apartment was a MOUND of stolen wallets; a few of which like his, still had ID in them so they could be reunited with their owners. I guess sooner or later anything can become a site-specific art installation in The City
I actually picked up one of those...threw it back on the street! I thought it was big joke on me!!!
I saw your posting which wsa okay except this quote, which pissed me off because its sterotyping and stigmatizing based on opinion (as a new resident to SF):
'Those of us who make San Francisco our home know all too well that most panhandlers are aggressive, pushy and invasive.'
I would say, 'Those of us that have lived here for most of our lives (30+) who helped build the home we all call San Francisco, know too well that a very small percentage of panhandlers are agressive and pushy.
This type of peson is rare.
If you see a lot of agressive panhandlers, then, that means hundreds of times more San Franciscan Residents that are panhandlers, are scattered everywhere else that are NOT aggressive.
And many more times that sub group, are homeless people that do not panhandle.
I work with people all over this city in shelters, on the streets and in SRO's and the panhandlers (and the poor and homeless) I've seen, by and large are NOT agressive.
That's 30 years of observations and working with statistical data and first hand.
Another thing I have noticed in 30 years, that a large percentage of people not from here (or less than 5 years) tend to be judgemental, resentful, upset and pissed off at all kinds of 'groups' of people that they do not want to see exist in this community.
Older San Franciscans have evolved past this child-like 'push down' 'push away' reaction for a more adult, civil approach.
We stopped doing 'group thought' and 'group mentality' and 'group labelling' a long time ago.
Its so much more smart and efficient to call out individuals to be accountable for their personal behavior that leave all that 'group think' behind because its never accurate and only offends lots of people.
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