In a somewhat misguided attempt to continue his string of web-based support-building activities with a new viral marketing push, Bob Hertzberg has launched a tool for spamming your friends.
The mayoral hopeful's "invite" tool is a simple form that lets you send this message (or your modified version of it) to up to 5 friends at a time:
E-mail subject: I'm Trying to Change Los Angeles!
[ Your friend's first name ]
I don’t know about you, but I’m worried about the direction Los Angeles is heading. That’s why I am helping Bob Hertzberg in his campaign for mayor – a campaign to make this city great again. If you are open to the idea that we need a change in City Hall, I hope you will take the time to learn a little more about Bob at his website, http://www.ChangeLA.com. Whether you want to tell Bob and the rest of the city where you stand on an issue or if you’re ready to make a contribution, you’ll see that there’s a lot to do on his website. Best of all, I think you’ll come to understand why I’m working with Bob to change LA. Please have a look…
Thanks,
[ Your name ]
The site and the Hertz-Blog offer no clues as to whether or not the form is being used by the campaign to harvest email addresses for future communiques directly from Hertzberg HQ. But there is this helpful note:
"Enter your name and email address, then enter the FIRST name and email address of people who you think would be interested in helping the campaign. After that, read the proposed letter and change it as much as you like to make it sound like you. To finish, click Done!
For larger groups, this form may be used multiple times, or contact Brian@ChangeLA.com.
I'll be curious in a few weeks to learn whether Hertzberg gets more votes or a wicked case of l33t hacker thrash-back as a result of trying to "wire" the electorate this way.
The road to hell yadda yadda yadda, but no matter how you slice it, meat from rectangular little cans is still, well, you know.
Posted by: mack_reed on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 - 11:19 PM
