Thong anyone? Whatever your fancy, from lingerie to spa treatments to credit cards, U of T is becoming the place to do a little shopping with your studying. Go anywhere on campus this fall and you’re sure to be hit up by people hawking their product, but buyer beware: some of the companies behind the campaigns are currently under investigation for unacceptable business practices.
Arts & Science does not allow any marketers on Sid Smith property. Reps for both Wonderbra and Annie’s Beauty Lounge were situated on the Sid Smith patio last week. Wonderbra was handing out free thongs, while Annie’s was promoting spa packages. According to Kelly Jay, the assistant registrar of Arts & Science, neither had permission from her department to be there. Said Jay, “No outside companies are allowed at all…it we catch them, we ask them to leave.”
The advertising firm that is representing Annie’s Beauty Lounge, AD Efx, has been accused of scamming customers is the U.S. and Canada. It is also in unsatisfactory standing with a number of Better Business Bureaus in the States.
At Richmond University in Virginia, AD Efx took cash from students in return for spa packages. The students later found out that that they’d been duped and that there was no package. Students were also asked for their social security numbers and were harassed by AD Efx reps.
The Chamber of Commerce in Collingwood, Ontario issued a statement in April of this year warning citizens not to purchase services from AD Efx. The company had been hawking a promotion by a local salon, Tangles and Whiskers. The report states, “Although Ad Efx is a legitimate business, Tangles and Whiskers had no knowledge of this promotion and are in no way involved in it.” Police are investigating the affair.
Steve Boutin, the Vice President of Marketing at AD Efx, insists that Tangles and Whiskers was a client of the company. In defense of the allegations against AD Efx, Boutin said “Any leaks I try my best to plug up. But as with any large business, there’ll always be something.” He stressed his company’s efforts to resolve complaints and its continuing efforts to work with the Better Business Bureaus.
Boutin also stressed that it is not the company but the sales reps they hire that choose the location. AD Efx tries to advise the reps if they need permission to be in a certain area but as Boutin stated, “When you have 30 representatives you can’t always be aware of where they are at all times.”
The rules regarding solicitation on campus are open to interpretation. According to Staff Sergeant Sam D’Angelo of the university police, U of T is an open campus. This means that it’s fair game for anyone who wants to sell their products. “They don’t have to have permission. As long as they’re peaceful and not disturbing academic freedom…they can do as they wish,” said D’Angelo.
Kyle Winters, the director of Marketing Programs at U of T, disagrees. “It’s an open space but it’s also an institution…it’s up to us to manage the campus.” While there’s no written policy at U of T banning marketers, Winters’ department is charged with chasing off vendors. “The U of T campus I don’t see as a place to hawk products…they’re a real campus problem.”
Not all companies are banned on campus. Some, like MasterCard, are actually invited by U of T. Sales reps for the credit card have been front and centre in Sid Smith and Robarts Library this week. It’s all part of a deal between MBNA bank and U of T to provide students with a “U of T MasterCard.” Each time such a cardholder makes a purchase, a small fraction of the administrative fee goes to the U of T department of the student’s choice.
Winters, who heads up the deal, sees this form of solicitation as different from that of the average street hawker. Said Winters, “It’s a long-term partnership that is significantly beneficial to the university.” Funds earned from the MasterCard deal go towards events like homecoming and to student groups.
