Giant pig slows traffic

[Scott Greczkowski]

Giant pig slows traffic
Reprinted from http://www.greeleytrib.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040227/BUSINESS/102270050&rs=2

Story by Angelina Morgan

Traffic on 10th Street near 37th Avenue in Greeley slowed for about an hour late Thursday morning for a giant floating pig hovering over the Comcast Cable office.

The 16-and-a-half-foot tall inflatable farm animal is part of DISH Network's "Stop-Feeding-the-cable-pig" advertising campaign that asks consumers to stop paying the cable companies' frequent rate increases.

The balloon is a larger version of the pig that appears in DISH Network's national print and TV advertisements. In one of the TV ads, pigs are seen rummaging through a family's house searching for money.

The pink swine that squealed into Greeley on Tuesday morning has carried its message for many miles. The company's nationwide crusade has herded the cable pig coast to coast. But its hooves are not yet tired.

"Where he'll show up next is always a secret," said Denver DISH Network spokesman Gregg Stucker.

A dozen sign holders faced a constant flow of car horns from passing drivers as Comcast trucks streamed in and out of the company's 37th Avenue office parking lot.

The Comcast operations manager on location, John Harris, didn't have much to say about the enormous pig outside his front door. But when asked if he knew the pig was coming, he laughed and shook his head.

The unusual pig spotting gave many people in town -- including some Comcast staff members -- something to laugh about. Jeannine Hanson, public relations director for Comcast in Denver, was not one of them.
"While we continue to take customers away from the satellite industry and offer new services, they've resorted to mud-slinging," Hanson said.

 

[Randy_B]

Dish needs to be cautious with this feed the pig routine. In light of Dish's package price increases, VOD PER receiver fee, add'l receiver fees and the new $5.99 "warranty" charge -- they are starting to shows significant signs of "slop" build up around the DISH pig's snout as well. Significantly bad because these are all " just because we can" charges. :shocked

 

[Mike_H]

As long as cable companies will keep charging customers higher rates, dish will always have room to add their own extra charges yet stay well below the level of what cable companies do.

So Because they can works both since they have a large customer base, but also because the alternatives worse in many cases.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I am no fan of rate increases, however with that said, a lot of folks have been bashing Dish because of their recent rate increase, however if you look about the rate of the increase compaired to cableTV, Dish comes out ahead.

 

[David_Levin]

(Denver)
I did receive a Comcast switch back postcard claiming an E* 14% rate hike as of Feb 1 (small print says based on the Wed Site). Even with AEP, I certainly didn't see a hike that size.

I suppose they're not lying, but they must be including something additional (like the new PVR fees).

In any case, as an AEP customer (and considering the new fees), I do think the Pig campaign is looking a bit hyprocritical.

 

[MikeD-C05]

(Denver)
I did receive a Comcast switch back postcard claiming an E* 14% rate hike as of Feb 1 (small print says based on the Wed Site). Even with AEP, I certainly didn't see a hike that size.

I suppose they're not lying, but they must be including something additional (like the new PVR fees).

In any case, as an AEP customer (and considering the new fees), I do think the Pig campaign is looking a bit hyprocritical.

I agree and when you factor in all the new "fees " like the vod per receiver and the new warrenty plan where you pay the more you have on your account. (5.99 for 4 receivers,6.99 for 5 receivers and let's not forget 7.99 for 6 receivers) Then let's consider the additional receiver fees per box . Now they have always had these but recently they have showed in the dha plan that if you keep your recievers connected to a phone line then No additional receiver fees. Then there is the controversy about eliminating the bundeling discount for say distant locals , locals and superstations. Some say they are now going to be 5.99 per pack no more 11.99 for 3 packs. IF this is true then they are once again going up on prices. My point is the advertised price of Dish 's packages look good on paper , but it is the small print that you don't read where they get you with all these new fees. They look more and more like the cable companies they are making fun of in the Cable the pig campaign.


New slogans for your consideration:

"Dish network , who's the real pig? "

"Dish network where the customers are the guinea pigs. "