#WTFNaina : Device Exchange

In this activity, we would present you with a brand new X Brand laptop for a span of 30 days (for no cost) in exchange for your current device. You can use your new device to perform your daily tasks. We’re sure its features & potential will definitely assist you in your daily activities. During this campaign, we’d like you to use the product & post your experience on a day-to-day basis on your online platforms.

The other details of the campaign were that after the 30 days were up, I’d have to return the new device and they would give me back my old device. And that would be that. No monetary compensation, no barter even. And I wondered who came up with this “campaign”.

The idea of setting up a new machine even once in two years is painful as it is – I upgrade my machine about onece in two to three years tops. And here this brand wants me to setup an entirely new machine, probably fall in love with it and then they want me to give it back?!

And they want me to “post my experience on a day-to-day basis”. What is the incentive here? Because all I can see is PAIN.

The brand reached out to me timely though, I’ve been thinking about upgrading from my current Lenovo 5Y10P for a couple of months. Putting off investing in a new machine till the time I’m back from my next trip – and so on and so forth. The trips are unending and I haven’t had a chance to sit and research potential upgrades.

When this brand got in touch, I told them I wasn’t interested in their campaign the way they wanted to do it. I wanted them to either do a barter deal with me where I ask for the device and configuration of my choice and I do a full-fledged blog feature and social media updates in exchange. Or, they could have it their way, except they’d also have to pay my fee for all the work they expected me to do. It isn’t as simple as opening up the laptop each morning and posting a photo of my face reflected in it. Especially a 30-day campaign, photos need to be planned. If those photos are going to include me, I need to have makeup on. If I’m going traveling and taking the laptop with me, I need to plan some photos there, etc. ( Post-production on the images and actual device testing time aside. )

The campaign didn’t work out. Of course. And now even though I know what device I wanted a few months ago, I’m going to have to do the research all over again and get that upgrade going ASAP.

If you have a friend who is a photographer and / blogger, run such campaigns by them before you send them out into the real world. It would be an indicator of you actually respecting someone else’s time. Apart from being the thoughtful thing to do.

More anecdotes and stories in the #WTFNaina series. ( These are all inspired by true stories. Some written emails, some from face-to-face meetings. They have all been piling up for years now and I’ve decided to put them to use! )