Snake Rewards
First, there was this wildly over-the-top announcement:
The deadpan humour extended to the press releases as well. This, from the first:
Today Archer Roose Wines and Elizabeth Banks, Co-Owner and Chief Creative Officer, announce a new, first of its kind corporate rewards program. This innovative endeavor boasts a reward unlike any other — each customer who purchases a minimum of 100,000 cases of Archer Roose wine will be mailed a real, live complimentary snake of the company's choosing.
“What are the two things America loves the most? Luxury wine in cans. And snakes.” says Banks. “Coming up with a program like this felt like a no-brainer.”
While customers are unable to select the size or species of the snake they wish to receive, the Archer Roose website displays an impressive selection of the reptiles that could be mailed to lucky customers.
“We’re very excited,” says Banks. “Giving back to our customers, our community - it's extremely important to us. This program does just that.”
This, from the second, a week later:
Elizabeth Banks, Co-Owner and Chief Creative Officer of Archer Roose Wines issued a retraction & replacement of ‘The Snake Rewards Program.’
“You win some, you lose some,” says Elizabeth Banks, Hollywood actress and Chief Creative Officer of Archer Roose. “Not everyone can appreciate truly great business ideas.”
“At our core, we’re a risk-taking company,” says Marian Leitner-Waldman, Co-Founder & CEO of Archer Roose. “And I think offering free snakes to perfect strangers has taught us some very valuable lessons. Needless to say, we are very excited about the new reptile-free Archer Roose Rewards program.”
Probably best of all, were the videos fronted by Banks: