Telemarketing for Hollywood Values II
Well, I guess they were just so eager and couldn’t wait the couple of days to follow up on yesterday’s call. The phone rang right around 3:00, and this time I was ready to take notes — and the story gets much, much wackier.
So, he begins by introducing himself as coming from Feature Films for Families, which he says has partnered with The Dove Foundation for this program.
“We’re happy that you agreed,” he said “that families need to start taking a role in getting values entertainment” made. Interesting, because I didn’t really agree with that in yesterday’s call, but predictable.
“How old are the kids [you’re concerned about]?” he asked. I replied, “well, one’s almost three…” and before I finished he replied “well, I imagine you’ve got your hands full.”
“Oh, no,” I responded, “I don’t have kids, like I said yesterday — it’s my niece and nephew.”
“We know the telephone [is an impersonal way to communicate],” he said, “unfortunately, we don’t have millions of dollars to advertise like Disney does.” Oh, smack! He then asked something like “did you know that the marketing for a film can reach a hundred million dollars?” and went on without waiting for an answer.
Soon, he said, even G-rated movies won’t be safe for families “unless…[families] support entertainment that reinforces traditional values.”
As it happens, he said, Hollywood often thinks that family-values scripts are “too soft” and need to be changed to “include profanity…and violence.”
“Did you know that?” he intoned. “I’m not sure,” I replied.
So his group has “started going into your schools” to combat the pernicious influence and promote films with topics like “honesty, sharing, and dealing with peer pressure.”
The group is only “five million families” strong, but can grow with my help.
“We don’t believe in censorship,” he asserted, asking “but wouldn’t you agree, it would be better to have more valuable entertainment for children?”
Towards that end, he wanted to discuss two movies with me: The Bellflower Bunnies and No More Baths.
And this is where the pitch really kicks in: “The films are only $12.95 each,” he said and “all of our films are guaranteed” so that if I don’t like them, I can send them back.
“Can we please count on your support and send you just those two films?” he asked.
No, of course.
Then what if they sent out just one of the films, and “delayed the payment for an entire month” so that they can “count you as one more family supporting” the agenda.
No, again.
Well, then what if they want to call again in three to six months? Sure.
Great, and if I have any questions or change my mind, I can call 1-800-FAMILYTV or log on to FamilyTV.com .
Doing some more research, it seems the Deseret Morning News reported on the FFFF back in April, when their sales pitch was a bit different:
It’s a simple plan. Feature Films calls elementary schools and tells them they can have as many DVDs as they want — up to one per student — for a weekend. After they’re through with them, they can either send them back or keep as many as they want at a nominal $10-per-video fee.
That scheme, it seems, was already working at the time:
Since early 2004, Feature Films has sent out free videos to nearly 7,000 elementary schools across America. Often, entire schools participate, receiving packages of 400 or more DVDs.
The return of the videos is based entirely on an honor policy. There are no late fees. And yet, amazingly enough, Feature Films hasn’t lost its shirt. Bowers says that, on average, 85 percent of the DVDs are returned and 10 percent are purchased. Only 5 percent get lost in the shuffle. “We essentially break even,” Bowers says.
Perhaps more to come.
November 30th, 2005 at 9:43 pm
I blogged about this here:
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I think I may have an explanation for certain details of these two calls.
Josh
July 10th, 2006 at 11:48 am
I am 100% for films for families. It is a much needed business. However, FEATURE FILMS for FAMILIES is a huge RIP OFF!!!!!!!!!! BEWARE!!!!!! IF THEY CALL YOU hang up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
July 18th, 2006 at 5:52 pm
We recently got a call from Feature Films for Families, and I’m not sure what to think about them yet. Can you tell me more about your concern/experience?
August 14th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
I have been receiving called from FFFF since I first spoke to someone back in May of this year (2006). I haven’t spoken to anyone since today because they always seem to call when I am not at home. They do not leave a message on my machine, but I recognize the number on my caller ID. In any event, I spoke to them today, and the dialogue above in the initial story is in fact verbatum to what I heard this afternoon! I was passed on to a second “associate” after I said I might, (operative word, “might”) want to purchase the movies he spoke about, but I had more questions. He told me to hold and then put me on the line with someone asking for my credit card information. I tried to explain that I had more questions and was assured that I could get the movies, view them and then ask as many questions as I wanted, even return the movies as well. I hung up. I really don’t have time for them. I am glad to see others are not going to put up with them. I am a parent and an educator, and I really am not sold on the thought that G-rated movies are not suitable for children.
August 29th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
I got the exact same pitch. Nevermind that I DON’T agree. I think that the very term “family values” is a cloak for a rightist agenda. I live in the land of Focus on the Family and I get enough of everyone else’s “family values” crammed down my throat everyday. And of course, on further investigation, I did find that the family values at hand are decidedly Christian. I have no problem with 99% of thewhat is espoused on their site. But the idea that they market to schools is disturbing. I don’t want my daughter being pushed into Veggie Tales or anything else just because a company can scam its way in the door of the district. I guess they can help me teach her about peer pressure - I’ve taught her to stand up for herself, investigate the facts, make informed decisions, and never ever be afraid to say no. FFFF says they’re not about censorship. I watch movies with my kids. I have the final say as to what our budget is blown on, and I don’t waste it on stupidity and vulgarity (please don’t let Adam Sandler get my babies!). I discuss things that are inappropriate with my kids and we learn from each other’s points of view. Really, it’s not censorship - it’s Parenting.
October 3rd, 2006 at 4:36 pm
Other than people wigging out about telemarketing what is so wrong? The only thing that even slightly concerned me about the whole thing was that the guy never read the article in Imprimus last year from the director(?) of The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. The article explains how hollywood makes way more money off family films than everything else and yet they’re way more focused on the everything else. You’ve all heard of the TL,TW,aTW. I could probably start naming a bunch of movies that cost more but none of you saw. Anyway, who cares? sent me the freaking movie whoopdee doo. Here’s 20$ rock on bellflower bunnies, rock on.
October 10th, 2006 at 9:47 am
Okay, get this! I just got the same call last night with the same sales pitch. After turning them down and hanging up, I realized that I had been talking to a computer! Serious, the delivery was perfect, but when I told him that I didn’t actually own a TV, he totally avoided the fact and went on with the pitch. I said, “um, I don’t have a TV.” There was a long pause and then he launched in to this pitch for me to buy it for a family friend or other children! I realized afterwards, that the pitch was too perfect! It was someboday on a soundboard just clicking a button depending on what my response was. I wish they would call me back, because I would say, “Sure, I will order! If you can tell me what 2 plus 2 equals!” I plan on calling them today and giving them a piece of my mind.
Troy
October 16th, 2006 at 4:43 pm
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I found this interesting in relation to this post.
I just got off the phone with them and googled…voila! confirmation that something wasn’t quite so right with this computer generated telemarketing weirdness.
June 1st, 2007 at 8:40 am
Yes, it is a computer generated sales approach. Yes, it is a business to make money. It is marketing - something we try to read as “truth in advertising” because we want to believe.
I’ve made purchases from FFF. Most I kept. Some I returned. (I have never used a credit card or check-by-phone to make a purchase. I simply request that I receive an invoice with my order.) In 3 years I have never been disappointed with the product. The movies are good, clean entertainment. Many are high quality performances. A few were obviously made on a small budget with less experienced actors.
“Love in the afternoon,” raunchy real-life t.v., and comedy shows promoting poor taste and abnormal behavior are far from enriching entertainment. I do not advocated allowing the boob tube to be a baby sitter, but it is part of our culture. Best to use it to your advantage.
If you are looking for decent, safe entertainment for your children and their friends, regardless of age, then FFF is a good source. This is an unpaid commentary.
June 23rd, 2007 at 6:20 pm
Goodness, what a bunch of whiners. So what if they use telemarketing? The movies are good. My family enjoys them and we can share good, clean entertainment with our friends and families. I have been involved with FFFF for about 3 years and have only sent back 1 movie that I didn’t like. As to the marketing to schools.. I would rather my kids watched these movies than some of the ones I have heard that they watched at school. We need to be showing our kids good morals not violence and vulgarity.
August 15th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Well it’s the fact that you don’t want to buy it at that particular point and the telemarketing keeps pushing you to do so, and you have no choice but to hang up. I don’t like being pressured to buy something. I told them I’d purchase a movie on THEIR website if I’d like to buy them, but not over the phone and they didn’t stop there. They keep calling me back too, and frankly… its getting annoying.
August 15th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Well it’s the fact that you don’t want to buy it at that particular time and the telemarketing keeps pushing you to do so, and you have no choice but to hang up. I don’t like being pressured to buy something. I told them I’d purchase a movie on THEIR website if I’d like to buy them, but not over the phone and they didn’t stop there. They keep calling me back too, and frankly… its getting annoying.