The Points Guy: We never accept free flights [merged TPG discussions]
Mar 22, 2019, 12:07 am
#1051
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,626
I don't think we'll see long-lasting change. These guys and their ilk are basically not accountable to anyone and they're just looking for new customers who can sign up for a credit card on some lofty pretenses. They aren't looking to build a steady long-term reader base. Outrage is momentary and will fade.
Mar 22, 2019, 2:57 am
#1052
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,196
This would be a nice opportunity to see the thresholds of the bloggers. Lets say Bonvoy/Amex/Chase bumps the commission the pay to bloggers for their CCs by x $. At what point would they delete their critical posts of TPG? and at what point would they punch out 5 posts praising the virtues of the card/program? What if Marriott doesn't send their newsletter readers to the Freddie voting?
In any case such potshots at TPG by VFTW or OMAAT don't help them. All TPG needs to do is delete the 'offensive' blog post and the other blogs just lost some value because Bankrate won't buy them. The SEO generated fizzles out in 1-2 months. TPG's staff is smart enough not to respond to tweets or link back to the articles.
In any case such potshots at TPG by VFTW or OMAAT don't help them. All TPG needs to do is delete the 'offensive' blog post and the other blogs just lost some value because Bankrate won't buy them. The SEO generated fizzles out in 1-2 months. TPG's staff is smart enough not to respond to tweets or link back to the articles.
Mar 22, 2019, 4:15 am
#1054
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
Why did you delete it Raffles? Anyone got a screen shot? 
The comments in the Nancy article are up.
Guys, as the blogger who started it all said a long time ago: "It's ALL about conversions"
The comments in the Nancy article are up.
Guys, as the blogger who started it all said a long time ago: "It's ALL about conversions"
Mar 23, 2019, 10:32 pm
#1055
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 83
The company I work for used to have a community relations manager. That was a long time ago. Now the title is called marketing administrator. TPG site is no more than a marketing outlet for the banks, credit card companies, and airline and hotel industries. If you want the devil portrayed as a saint, who you gonna call?
Mar 24, 2019, 10:33 am
#1056
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,326
The exposure of Mr. Kelly continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-cre...71ffbc49b9438a
While it doesn't explicitly address the conflicts of interest in the "advice", it makes quite clear that Brian Kelly is not in the business of providing objective travel advice, but rather in selling credit cards and his own image.
I love the conclusion:
"The price tag for the black-tie affair was about $1.5 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. TPG paid about $250,000, the person said.
The banks and hotels paid the rest."
While it doesn't explicitly address the conflicts of interest in the "advice", it makes quite clear that Brian Kelly is not in the business of providing objective travel advice, but rather in selling credit cards and his own image.
I love the conclusion:
"The price tag for the black-tie affair was about $1.5 million, according to a person familiar with the matter. TPG paid about $250,000, the person said.
The banks and hotels paid the rest."
Mar 25, 2019, 4:01 am
#1057
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
The most shocking statement in the article (among many) I found to be this:
TPG helped spawn a broader ecosystem of customers who swap tips online about how to game the system, wringing rewards out of cards before abandoning them..."
SERIOUSLY?????
I would not be surprised if this writer ends up getting a job there one of these days..
TPG helped spawn a broader ecosystem of customers who swap tips online about how to game the system, wringing rewards out of cards before abandoning them..."
SERIOUSLY?????
I would not be surprised if this writer ends up getting a job there one of these days..
Mar 25, 2019, 4:24 am
#1058
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,196
Strange that the journo didn't go a bit deeper into the murky world of Red Ventures and Bankrate... also the award shows make a profit and usually cover all their costs thru sponsorships. I seriously doubt TPG made a 250k loss on the event.
Mar 25, 2019, 7:44 am
#1059
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Virginia, USA
Posts: 4,511
That was a puff piece written by one of his friends working on contract at the WSJ.
Mar 25, 2019, 12:51 pm
#1060
Original Member, Ambassador: External Miles and Points Resources
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in LIMA, PERU
Posts: 58,626
Mar 25, 2019, 6:07 pm
#1061
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL PM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 7,326
I don't think it's a puff piece, since the credit card companies all already know/bribe him, and nothing in it would push the financially literate consumers who read the WSJ to consume his services.*
*His services are of course to the credit card companies but he deceives travelers into thinking he is providing them a service of course.
Mar 29, 2019, 9:46 am
#1062
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Mar 30, 2019, 8:39 am
#1063
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
The company I work for used to have a community relations manager. That was a long time ago. Now the title is called marketing administrator. TPG site is no more than a marketing outlet for the banks, credit card companies, and airline and hotel industries. If you want the devil portrayed as a saint, who you gonna call?
Apr 10, 2019, 4:13 am
#1065
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Fairmont Lifetime Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,041
Anxiously waiting for TPG to update their own Valuation Guide to reflect the new United Mileage Plus changes for dynamic pricing and of course the Chase Ultimate Rewards points too.
Don't be shocked if they go...up LOL
Don't be shocked if they go...up LOL