The Points Guy: We never accept free flights [merged TPG discussions]
Oct 30, 2020, 12:31 am
#1546
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,132
TPG is not even a 'blogger', it never even pretended to be. Their owner Red Ventures openly calls itself a 'performance marketing partner': https://redventures.com/what-we-do.html
Nov 4, 2020, 8:35 pm
#1547
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
Correct me if I'm wrong here, but hasn't Brian Kelly said multiple times that from the very beginning the sole purpose of starting the blog was to make money? Not exactly him doing it as a hobby and having it morph into a way to fund his travel habit.
Nov 5, 2020, 8:39 pm
#1548
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Yes. And explicitly through CC affiliate conversions.
Nov 8, 2020, 8:38 am
#1550
Join Date: Jul 2009
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Posts: 7,318
Nov 21, 2020, 5:24 pm
#1553
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Brian built it up & sold it for millions if I'm remembering correctly. So on that point well done him. He wasn't stupid. Am I reading the blog or following him when he's now trying to jump into the celebrity lifestyle. No.
I've never understood the hate for bloggers, but in fairness I don't follow them that much (any of them). And while they cull info from FT, we're not the only source on the block for info.
Cheers.
Nov 23, 2020, 5:21 am
#1554
Join Date: Jul 2009
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That's my understanding. And while I don't really read his blog (well, the company's since he sold it) blog anymore, I'm still a bit confused on why everyone is against those (and not just Brian) who create blogs for profit. Others, including the founder of this IBB, have done the same.
Brian built it up & sold it for millions if I'm remembering correctly. So on that point well done him. He wasn't stupid. Am I reading the blog or following him when he's now trying to jump into the celebrity lifestyle. No.
I've never understood the hate for bloggers, but in fairness I don't follow them that much (any of them). And while they cull info from FT, we're not the only source on the block for info.
Cheers.
Brian built it up & sold it for millions if I'm remembering correctly. So on that point well done him. He wasn't stupid. Am I reading the blog or following him when he's now trying to jump into the celebrity lifestyle. No.
I've never understood the hate for bloggers, but in fairness I don't follow them that much (any of them). And while they cull info from FT, we're not the only source on the block for info.
Cheers.
Jan 5, 2021, 9:47 am
#1555
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
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TPG got the lead for a nice NYT Magazine article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/m...l-rewards.html
Liked this quote:
FTU, Randy et al also get honorable mentions.
Liked this quote:
Kelly admits these travel hackers are not his target audience. “I don’t want to have to go around to 10 different Targets to buy different gift cards to get points,” he says. “People called me a sellout in the beginning, like, ‘Oh, you’re just doing this for the masses.’ And yeah — I am. That’s the point.” He didn’t start The Points Guy to keep his deals a secret. “That was a business decision early on, and that’s why I think we’ve been able to grow it. We are very open about the fact that we have to make money. I have 100 employees. I can’t pay their salaries in Amex points.”
Jan 5, 2021, 10:03 am
#1556
Join Date: Feb 2001
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It was a business decision early on and, well, always 
Funny how all the Chase business cards glorious "articles" pumping them just vanished when Chase withdrew the affiliate links from all channels. It is like they did not exist at all. Of course TPG would not send them to the bank because, hey, who is going to pay the 100 employees....
All the traveling during the pandemic, always selling the brand... just sad all around. I guess I am not getting an invitation to the Hamptons, always wanted to score some free cocaine lol.
Funny how all the Chase business cards glorious "articles" pumping them just vanished when Chase withdrew the affiliate links from all channels. It is like they did not exist at all. Of course TPG would not send them to the bank because, hey, who is going to pay the 100 employees....
All the traveling during the pandemic, always selling the brand... just sad all around. I guess I am not getting an invitation to the Hamptons, always wanted to score some free cocaine lol.
Jan 5, 2021, 10:10 am
#1557
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,132
Wow. Talk about a non-sequitur, stream of consciousness article. Is that supposed to pass as journalism these days? "Kelly's office was spacious and clean, appearing mostly ceremonial." So profound. Whoever wrote that would fit right in with the amateur bloggers who create TPG content. Business must really be down in the toilet if a NYT piece is needed to advertise.
Jan 5, 2021, 10:38 am
#1558
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The bit about Randy was nice ... but n
thing new.
thing new.
Jan 5, 2021, 1:26 pm
#1559
Join Date: Jul 2009
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TPG got the lead for a nice NYT Magazine article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/m...l-rewards.html
Liked this quote:
FTU, Randy et al also get honorable mentions.
Liked this quote:
FTU, Randy et al also get honorable mentions.
Jan 6, 2021, 4:29 am
#1560
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
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Posts: 3,041
Wow. Talk about a non-sequitur, stream of consciousness article. Is that supposed to pass as journalism these days? "Kelly's office was spacious and clean, appearing mostly ceremonial." So profound. Whoever wrote that would fit right in with the amateur bloggers who create TPG content. Business must really be down in the toilet if a NYT piece is needed to advertise.