Burt’s Bees: The First One’s Free
It’s an old but effective technique to introduce your product to the next generation of addicts customers. Like the corner drug dealer, “The First One’s Free” and Burt’s Bees is getting into the act.
Nominally to celebrate Burt’s 25 years in the business, the company is giving away 1,000 free tubes each day for 25 days.
The giveaway starts anytime between 9 a.m. and 12 noon EDT but no one knows exactly when! To equal the odds and give you the fairest chance at a free balm, we’ve randomized the giveaway to start anytime between 9 a.m. and 12 noon EDT. It could be anytime. For instance — it may be 9:15 AM one day, 10:25 AM the next, or 11:51 AM the day after! We don’t know either - and that’s what makes it fun! And if you don’t get it one day, you’ll get your chance. The balm giveaway goes through June 20, 2009.
www.burtsbees.com
I’m not sure what the point of this rotating starting time is, other than to increase hits on their website. It surely will frustrate some looking for their free hit, though we can’t say that people who give up after missing their deal are worse off.
Burt's Bees Lip Balm
Ask the Addict - June 6, 2009
My father was a carmex user, my boyfriend a blistex guy - I try to warn him that his natural lips will lose their ability to self moisturize, but he denies that.Any ideas what kind of profits these guys make?
Amy L.
Carmex is marketed both as a lip balm and primarily as a cold sore remedy. As such, Carmex and other “medicated” lip balms actually dry out your lips as a way to treat cold sores. So, your boyfriend is wrong.
In terms of profits, Carmex is a privately held company and does not release financial statements. Paul Woelbing, grandson of Carma Labs founder Albert Woelbing, says “We sell Carmex for the lowest price possible, which allows us to make a reasonable profit.” (answers.com).
Ask the Addict - May 23, 2009
I just ran across a news article on Yahoo.com about your website, so I took a look at it. I’m just wondering what all the hype is about. So people use chapstick–big deal! I can understand someone being worried if they’re putting it on every 5 minutes or something, but I don’t put it on that often. I always have it with me so I can put it on when I need it, but I don’t use it excessively. On the rare occasions when I run out of chapstick, my lips feel too try after a while, and it gets worse the longer I have to wait. But if I have it with me, I just put it on a few times throughout the day, and I’m fine. Why would I want to stop using it?
Sabrina K.
Not everyone who uses ChapStick becomes addicted, just as there are many who can drink socially without becoming alcoholics. Looks like you’re in this camp.
When I first saw your web site on Yahoo, I thought it was a joke. How could someone be addicted to lip balm? I had been using it for a decade and I did not believe that I was addicted. It started with Bonne Bell flavored lip balm when I was a young teen, and I have been using it ever since. It was always in my pocket and if I left the house without it, I would have to go buy more. I decided to become more aware of how often I was using it, I realized that I sometimes put it on with out even thinking about it. It turns out that every 30 minutes, I had to reapply. I knew I had to stop, I spoke with the my friends and they only use it once maybe twice a day. I immediately made the switch to pure vaseline because my lips would dry out so much they would bleed. It has now been over a month and I use vaseline four times a day, my goal is to get that down even more.
Thank you for creating this site and making me aware that I had a problem.
Stephanie D.
It’s stories like yours that illustrate the life-changing benefits of a site such as this one. Keep going with your weaning and best of luck for a full recovery.
It’s a shame that you trivialize 12 step programs with your silliness. Unlike yours, these programs have saved people’s lives — like mine.
Sue F. Fort Wayne IN
At LBA we take a live-and-let-live position on a variety of subject, silly or serious. We take our addiction seriously, but we don’t have an attitude where others can’t have fun. Look, clearly, balm addiction isn’t as serious as addictions to other substances like alcohol or hard drugs.
