Hi5's Big Pimping


I used to have an account on Hi5 years back but after the Facebook bug caught on, I deserted Hi5 and moved on to the Zuckerberg wonder. Today I’m getting weary of Facebook as I began to discover reasons not to so hooked to the social network. I got tired and stopped putting up personal photos and making friends with people I’m really not interested in knowing. Maybe it’s my new obsession with Twitter, coupled with my blog and Naija Stories.

So when I got this funny mail from Hi5 (after several mails intended to keep me on the site which I ignored) I was wondering whether the network was trying to woo me back by pimping pictures of cute chicks at me.
   

The Hi5 trick mail
Click to view larger size


With my experience in advertising I know that sex always sells or draws attention and I’m quite sure that’s the strategy being applied here. Before this mail, I had been receiving notifications from Hi5 to check out new friend requests or updates that I might be interested in. I never replied or visited the site for any of these.

What got me convinced that this was some kind of trick to get my attention was the fact that the subject of the mail said ‘Kush, open this mail for 12 people you should meet’. Then on opening the mail I see ‘Play the Pets game to meet new people.’ Also there's this disturbing line that goes; 'Pets is a game where you can buy and own other people as your pet' And all these ‘new people’ turn out to be pretty ladies; not a single guy among them.

Sounds almost like an escort service if you ask me.

Nice try Hi5.

But I’m not buying it.  





8 Screamer(s):

We don't have to sink with everything thrown at us. Good to know when to say 'No'! Abi any wahala?

We actually have to know when to say no!

Anonymous said...

I have an account with them but not visited for a veryyyyy longgg time! I get such notifications which I ignore. But I wonder why they are not so popular like FB and twitter?

dayor said...

Lol,they have to just try na. Some people will actually "guck", you know?

sykik said...

Good marketing strategy from hi5. I hope other guys will not fall for this temptation and commit "lookery" oh.

Shallie said...

waoohhh this just reminded me of my HI5 account...i think they should just shut down already!I dont fink anybody even uses that site anymore at all..

http://aomosale.blogspot.co.uk/

Lol! This was funny! Hi5 was fun! Back in 2005! Twitter all the way!

Strong Self said...

Interesting. I have been receiving a mail like that too, but this time from PenPal. PenPal has been sending me the same thing. They are always trying to get me back on their site. But seriously, meh, I have moved, I am not going back there.