TPG Reviewer Sits in Wrong Seat, Blames UA for Subpar Experience
Dec 10, 2019, 3:48 am
#16
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,341
It was his first flight on an aeroplane EVER, or so it seems...
Potentially the most ridiculous travel "blog" in history!
This would be the perfect candidate to be involuntarily ejected from the plane during flight!
Potentially the most ridiculous travel "blog" in history!
This would be the perfect candidate to be involuntarily ejected from the plane during flight!
Dec 10, 2019, 3:57 am
#18
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: SQ, QF, UA, CO, DL
Posts: 2,882
Oh man, thanks for posting this! I laughed out loud after a very frustrating day at work. The writer's big toe was cold so he wrapped his blanket around his foot! Four drink services on a US domestic flight in Y was not enough! He must be making this stuff up!
Dec 10, 2019, 4:31 am
#19
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM
Posts: 6,341
And let's remember, the OP and everyone including myself has done exactly what they wanted us to do. The link got shared and everyone read it and even stuck around to read the comments. How do you think thats going to affect their clicks, impressions, bounce rates etc.? Stupid or evil genius? 
How many other people do you think has shared the link??? It's called viral marketing.
How many other people do you think has shared the link??? It's called viral marketing.I myself signed up for 4 credit cards through the TPG page links because of this OP!
I mean, how could you NOT do so after reading that gem of an article???
Dec 10, 2019, 4:49 am
#20
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
And the part where United is coming out smelling nice in this. You think that wasn't planned by a bunch of marketing people and user research?
No one at TPG is probably upset but really pleased right now.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 10, 2019 at 12:38 pm Reason: dicuss the issue, not the poster(s)
Dec 10, 2019, 7:28 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
"I bought tickets to Frozen II but accidentally sat in the theater where they were playing Joker and it was all down hill from there, never once saw Elsa, Anna, Olaf, etc and though the animation was creepily true-to-life and colorful, it had nothing to do with the story, and the film is way too violent for a kid's movie..."
Dec 10, 2019, 8:01 am
#22
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 9,447
TPG has to generate massive volume to pay for the "name" talent it added in the last year or so (talking about quality aviation journalists like Benet or Ben Mutzabaugh). To do that, it seems to be substantially relying on bottom-of-the-barrel bloggers to churn out vacuous content that drives clicks and pageviews.
I am interested to see how things go for TPG in the next few years... you can see glimmers of what I call "peak-startup" behavior following a round of private funding. This tends to come in the form of a lot of show and visibility to, among other things, mask a cash hemorrhage.
I am interested to see how things go for TPG in the next few years... you can see glimmers of what I call "peak-startup" behavior following a round of private funding. This tends to come in the form of a lot of show and visibility to, among other things, mask a cash hemorrhage.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:13 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 78
TPG has to generate massive volume to pay for the "name" talent it added in the last year or so (talking about quality aviation journalists like Benet or Ben Mutzabaugh). To do that, it seems to be substantially relying on bottom-of-the-barrel bloggers to churn out vacuous content that drives clicks and pageviews.
I am interested to see how things go for TPG in the next few years... you can see glimmers of what I call "peak-startup" behavior following a round of private funding. This tends to come in the form of a lot of show and visibility to, among other things, mask a cash hemorrhage.
I am interested to see how things go for TPG in the next few years... you can see glimmers of what I call "peak-startup" behavior following a round of private funding. This tends to come in the form of a lot of show and visibility to, among other things, mask a cash hemorrhage.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:17 am
#24
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,118
They were bought by Red Ventures a while back, so their funding seems to be somewhat secured for now. It does seem like they're expanding massively (TPG UK, new NY office, ...) and I don't really see how their business model is scalable that way (there must be something I'm not seeing). TPG UK doesn't appear to be the success they've wanted it to be and all their staff seem to be doing is shuttling between LON and NYC on a monthly basis to review products that have been reviewed thousands of times.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:20 am
#25
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
Seriously, completely ridiculous, and he deserves the roasting. I honestly consider TPG the weakest of the review content sites these days, and am thoroughly befuddled by TPG’s broader strategy. There appear to be zero journalistic or writing qualifications required to join and write content. Still, this will likely cause trouble for the TPG high regent and the ongoing commercial relationship with UA - the entire Instagram feed on Giving Tuesday was filled with lame TPG cameos and propaganda. Hopefully UA moves on from investing any more collaboration time soon.
Mistake fares seem to me to be a legitimate subject of journalism. Nobody has an obligation to keep them secret so that more people can snag them.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 10, 2019 at 9:43 am Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Dec 10, 2019, 8:27 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 78
Not necessarily afraid, but it's a low hanging (but valuable) fruit as far as marketing opportunities go. Why pay for expensive TV ads if one of your key target demographics reads these blogs all the time? Just invite one of their "journalists" to cover some (in the grand scheme of things) minor event and voila, TPG feels like they're wearing big boy journo pants and you've got some good, targeted coverage. Everyone wins.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:33 am
#27
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NYC, FLL
Programs: UA PP 1MM, Marriott Bonvoy LTTE, BA Gold
Posts: 6,318
I know TPG personally, and I'm very good friends with one of his Spain-based writers (who I feel does a great job). This blog post strikes me as bizarre. It's definitely sub-standard.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:33 am
#28
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
I'm envious someone got paid to fly that and write that review.
I'd kill for an opportunity like that. I've actually applied to their site a couple times and of course never heard back, so it's frustrating to see where the bar is right now. Like everything else, I'm sure this reviewer knew the right person and that's why they get to write articles like this. It reads like someone who has never been inside an airport before.
I'd kill for an opportunity like that. I've actually applied to their site a couple times and of course never heard back, so it's frustrating to see where the bar is right now. Like everything else, I'm sure this reviewer knew the right person and that's why they get to write articles like this. It reads like someone who has never been inside an airport before.
Dec 10, 2019, 8:44 am
#29
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,433
I don't know about everyone else, but I generally tend to avoid broadcasting (or publishing) my deficiencies especially when I have forewarning that I have committed them.
Who would admit to making a huge blunder and then publish it in a review that castigates the entity providing the service?
It takes a great deal of chutzpah to do that (and I am being kind).
Who would admit to making a huge blunder and then publish it in a review that castigates the entity providing the service?
It takes a great deal of chutzpah to do that (and I am being kind).
Dec 10, 2019, 8:44 am
#30
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
I'm envious someone got paid to fly that and write that review.
I'd kill for an opportunity like that. I've actually applied to their site a couple times and of course never heard back, so it's frustrating to see where the bar is right now. Like everything else, I'm sure this reviewer knew the right person and that's why they get to write articles like this. It reads like someone who has never been inside an airport before.
I'd kill for an opportunity like that. I've actually applied to their site a couple times and of course never heard back, so it's frustrating to see where the bar is right now. Like everything else, I'm sure this reviewer knew the right person and that's why they get to write articles like this. It reads like someone who has never been inside an airport before.