I'm impressed

Usually when you fill out one of those online forms for samples, coupons or anything to be sent to you (in exchange for some personal data so they can spam ya), it rarely works. But in this case I was pleasantly surprised.

I like to visit Viktor & Rolf's website just because I admired their ingenuity. Alas, I can only admire from far as their couture is unsuitable for my current lifestyle.

Anyways, as an active creative for the e-commerce, I like to surf and take part all kinds of marketing efforts out there. So I simply registered to be a member of V&R's secret club and requested for a sample of their fragrance "Flowerbomb".

Almost 2 months later, I received a nice little direct mail package from them. By then I have already forgotten about my previous actions. Hence it was a nice surprise to see they've included some nicely designed mailer to welcome me to the secret club and of course, the samples I asked for. I received a miniature set of the "Flowerbomb" bath gel and body lotion.

If you're a man and you don't know this yet, you really need to get laid. Because women, get this, ALL WOMEN love samples.

Regardless of age, income group, geographical location or race, ALL WOMEN love samples. This is slightly deeper than the love for anything that's free. Because that, is never technically free. But samples, yes, they're always free. You're not obliged to wash their dishes when someone gives you a free sample. You don't have to lie in bed and pretend you're having an orgasm after someone gives you a free sample. The Mentos girl (who I will mention again later) doesn't spear mark me when I don't run to next convenient location to buy a box of Mentos. The Filipino lady is only grateful that I'm try out the salsa & chips and compliment her excellent work at the grocer's sample station. For samples, you smile, say Thank you sweetly and then you're on your way. Whether you use them, lose them or digest them, the sample-givers should less than likely remember he/she gave you any.

The most common place of sample distribution is at the cosmetic counters in departmental stores. But I've received samples on the streets of San Francisco. Cute girls were handing out tubes of Mentos, men throwing out cans of soda on a hot day—I thought it was cool. I've received chewing gum, skincare, bottles of iced tea, tissue packets, chocolate, olive oil, diabetes test, toothbrush, lotsa food, cosmetics, cans of soda, paper, massages and etc. I love it.

Back to cosmetics. I think at a point in my life (which is recently), I sorted out my bathroom closet and oh boy! I don't really know as I don't stalk out other women's bathrooms but I thought I have more samples than actual products. I don't recall how I accumulated all this crap though. I rarely buy cosmetics, I don't linger around the cosmetics department nor do I purposefully collect them (oh well, I don't pursue but I also don't reject any that comes my way).

I admit I keep the ones that comes glued to the magazine pages and I gladly accept any when I make the rare purchase at those beauty counters. In fact, I would even be pissed if the sales lady never bother to throw in a handful into the shopping bag or when I flip through the pages of the magazine to find that someone has stolen MY sample from MY magazine!

The problem is, I have to stop hoarding them and start using them. I keep them for those imaginary vacations that never happen or when they do, they're inadequate for period of stay. And when I use them I betcha I can save a bundle of cash! I will not need to buy that expensive eye cream anymore because I have 6,523,678,345 tiny packets of eye cream samples. And if I squeeze them out, I betcha I can fill up a few full size containers! Did you all watch Jennifer Aniston in "Friends with Money"? Her character was poor and basically lived off on skincare samples to the max. Exactly like that.

I know a friend who loves samples (you know who you are) but laments that the sales lady usually don't give her any. On the contrary, I probably have a "sample" face because I receive them without asking. Like yesterday, I had to make an semi-annual trip to the skincare counter for my brand of night cream. The guy readily gave me a free travel size because I have an account with the store and I brought in my promotional mailer. Then he threw in 3 tiny boxes of Bobbi Brown miniature moisturizing foundations in 3 different shades (just in case I change color with the season? Miss Tan, I'm giving the lightest shade to you).

Moral of the story—I'm gonna finish up whatever I have in my designated sample box and see how long I can actually live off them. And maybe I will find one and *gasps* run out to buy the actual overpriced product. Because isn't that ultimately what samples are for?

You throw in a big bait, in order to catch a bigger fish.