E-Days Packets Filled with Free Beauty Samples
On a very shallow level, I am disguntled with MAC for filling my E-Days packet with free samples of beauty products I do not want or need, but potentially paid money for.
On a more societal level, this is an irresponsible use of resources in addition to reaffirming society's view of beauty for women. (On a separate note, were the packets separated based off of gender, or did men also receive women's razors, shampoo, and various other beauty products)? I understand that Home Advisor helped sponsor the concert, and maybe some of the other brands did as well. I get that, but I still don't need their advertising shoved into my face.
I have some proposals for MAC to consider in the future:
-If you're going to give away promotional products, considering putting out a bin for students to pick and choose what they might actually use and could benefit from
-Support sustainable (and potentially local) brands instead of giant corporations that pump people's heads with false and self-disparaging images of beauty
-Don't offer consumer promotional products at all, and instead offer stickers or other "free stuff" from local organizations and charities
-Just sell Swag as singular items along with tickets and we can all just pay for what we actually want/use
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Lauren Wilson commented
Hi,
My name is Lauren and I am the Mines Activities Council President for this upcoming year. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about the E-Days packets - I'm sorry to hear you were not entirely satisfied with them, but I would like to address a few of your points to hopefully put your mind somewhat at ease.
First, the free samples were donated to the E-Days packets by the Health Center, who receive them from companies hoping students sample their products. No student fees were spent on the products, but we like to give as much as we can in the packets.
As far as the impact on society, including the products in the packets was not meant to have any message concerning women or beauty. The E-Days Publicity Committee designed the t-shirt and the two giveaway items which was consistent in every packet. The packets included an entirely random combination of the hygiene products with no separation of gender. It was complete chance who ended up with what products. Our goal is to create something that is desirable by every Mines student, no matter their identity. For sponsored items, such as the Home Advisor hats, I'm afraid we must honor the requests of our E-Days sponsors if we are to continue being able to raise the bar for E-Days. However, we will take your concerns into consideration in similar situations in the future.
I hope by sharing these facts that I may have helped appease your concerns. Please know that MAC has no intention of promoting anything except community and enjoyment for Mines students in anything and everything we do. If you have any other comments or concerns, please feel free to email me directly at lawilson@mymail.mines.edu.
Have a great summer,
Lauren