Actually I wasn't laughing at this thread, I was laughing at you, the internet tough guy. I'm not surprised it went over your head.

I don't complain at hotels when they mess up. It won't do any good, and it's a waste of energy. In this case they asked for my opinion via a survey, and I gave it to them. Is that a sense of entitlement?

1. It didn't go over my head.

2. You should pick your story and stick to it. Before it was that you "wrote to Marriott". Now its that you answered a survey.

3. And even if you answered a survey, your logic is really bizzare: You say that complaining won't do any good, yet you get an automatic survey and you decide to complain about being "insulted" by a promotion you won't use.

And you are laughing at me? Really, now.

I totally agree with your points, but I'll throw this out: it's far worse over at Starwood.

At least with Marriott, two things are true:

(1) When Marriott does something big, they do throw everyone a bone. Everybody gets a Megabonus offer. I sometimes like my Megabonus a lot, sometimes I don't. But nobody gets totally stiffed.

(2) Marriott doesn't do targeted promotions that dwarf the main value of the program itself. So even if I get a lousy Megabonus offer, it's generally not like someone else got such a giant offer than I'm disincentivized from even staying at Marriott. I'll still show up, earn my 17.5 points per dollar, and know that the Megabonus was simply a little extra gravy.

Last year, Starwood granted three targeted bonii that pretty much turned me off from the program: major bonuses to certain Amex cardmembers and then two 50% off awards - pick your award up to a five-nighter, you get 50% off. I got bupkis. My problem wasn't the exclusion itself - it's that those three promos far dwarfed all of the other Gold benefits I'd ever get from the program across many stays. Starwood handed some members hundreds of dollars in value for nothing. No rhyme or reason. It's a big reason I continue to do all of my revenue stays at Marriott, with Starwood now only getting award stays from my Amex spending...

I don't know about Hilton: they haven't given me anything in a long time. I know they have their 5-10-15 thing, but I haven't paid close enough attention to see if I could actually sign up for that unsolicited as a Gold.

Yes, really, I'm laughing at you. You have no clue what you are talking about.

1. I answered a survey. It has a space to input my comments. I WROTE my comments in the space, even though it is by computer. So I WROTE TO MARRIOTT via a SURVEY. Let me know if I need to re-phrase so you can understand.

2. I don't pick up the phone and complain when the hotel messes up, such as room service. Complaining won't make them get it right the next time, and is not worth the time or energy. I will answer a survey when asked to do so if I feel inclined.

3. Look at your own logic before trying to discredit others. My original post, to which you addressed nothing, asked why Marriott was giving me this promo since I don't book events or meetings, never have, and most likely never will. Your well thought out response was "Its selective targeted marketing". Really. How selective and targeted is it? How much money did they spend on targeting people who will never use the promo? And you think this is a brilliant marketing move?!?

This is why I am laughing at you when you try to hijack this thread.

1. You were likely targeted because you are in the system as staying at Marriott primarily for business purposes. Perhaps the name of your business has even been recorded in the system. It is likely that those staying mainly for leisure did not get this promotion. Of course Marriott has no way of knowing which business travelers schedule meetings. At the same time, all business travelers likely attend meetings at some point, so even if you can't use the promotion, Marriott might have sent the promotion to people who can influence the meeting planners. Some promotions might be aimed at the right audience. Others might simply create buzz. That you, personally, cant use a promotion doesn't make it any less targeted. I concede, it doesn't mean it was targeted to the point that every receiver can/will use the promotion, but honestly, if Marriott did that, they would probably lose a lot of revenue.

2. They probably didn't spend any significant money to send out a simple electronic promotion. I certainly haven't gotten any mailing on this one.

3. I never said it was a "brilliant"marketing move (a word I never used), nor I am not sure what you think I am hijacking, especially since I am not the only person who read your original post and saw it as just complaing about getting something that you don't intend to use and calling it an "insult" (a word you definitely did use).

I'm laughing at both of you: I don't think this promo is really all that targeted. In fact, I'm guessing everybody can sign up for it.

Bingo, we have a winner!