Change.org and their shitty email subject lines

[Rev+]

I signed a couple of petitions via Change in the past, but their shock tactic phrasing is just causing me panic now.

Opening your email to find a message with the subject line 'diagnosed with terminal cancer', then after your eyes scan it finding it's one of their campaigns, is a really shitty move.  I know a lot of people who are teetering on the pinhead of poor health, I don't need that momentary freakout.

What gets me is that I'm on their fucking side.  I don't need to be shocked or angered into it - the things they support will likely align with my views.

Dunno, just felt the need to rant.  Close thread.

[Huxleys Babkins]

On a similar note, any promotional email subject that tries to trick the recipient into thinking they've ordered or applied for something so they have to open it to check they've not had their account hacked or identity stolen can absolutely fuck off.

"Your new credit card"

"ARRIVING SOON: Our best offers are on their way"

Shouldn't need to explain to businesses in 2022 that deception and preying on people's fears about cyber crime aren't the best way to go about drumming up business, but you still see it every now and again.

At one point, Groupon were sending emails with subjects that read like romantic propositions, which is a) really fucking desperate and b) not really taking into account the not insignificant number of people in abusive relationships who'll get shit off their partner when they see

💜 Fancy getting away this weekend? 💜

or

A special person deserves a special treat! 😉

pop up on their lock screen.

[PlanktonSideburns]

YOUR MUM HAS HAD A STROKE

about going to itchy and scratchy land!

[flotemysost]

A company I've bought stuff from in the past sends near-daily emails, and in the subject line they invariably and infuriatingly address their customers as "bbs". I don't even know how to pronounce that when I'm reading it in my head - is it "bubs"? "Bee beez"? Or is there just like a neutral schwah sound between the two "b"s? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

At one point, Groupon were sending emails with subjects that read like romantic propositions, which is a) really fucking desperate and b) not really taking into account the not insignificant number of people in abusive relationships who'll get shit off their partner when they see

💜 Fancy getting away this weekend? 💜

or

A special person deserves a special treat! 😉

pop up on their lock screen.

In the last week I've had the rather drastic "Don't you love me any more?" (from a restaurant I made an online booking with once, about three years ago) and "Still not talking to us? It's FINE... *sobs*" (from a ubiquitous fast fashion retailer I sacked off years ago). Even just with anxiety currently kicking my arse, the momentary panic that sparks is bad enough - I can't imagine how damaging that shit could be if an abusive partner's snooping in your stuff.

As it is, I've had my main personal email address since I was about 16, so the inbox is an absolute fetid cesspit of spam and I basically avoid it unless I need to check a booking/appointment confirmation or harangue my estate agents.

[DelurkedToHelp]

A company I've bought stuff from in the past sends near-daily emails, and in the subject line they invariably and infuriatingly address their customers as "bbs". I don't even know how to pronounce that when I'm reading it in my head - is it "bubs"? "Bee beez"? Or is there just like a neutral schwah sound between the two "b"s? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

In the last week I've had the rather drastic "Don't you love me any more?" (from a restaurant I made an online booking with once, about three years ago) and "Still not talking to us? It's FINE... *sobs*" (from a ubiquitous fast fashion retailer I sacked off years ago). Even just with anxiety currently kicking my arse, the momentary panic that sparks is bad enough - I can't imagine how damaging that shit could be if an abusive partner's snooping in your stuff.

As it is, I've had my main personal email address since I was about 16, so the inbox is an absolute fetid cesspit of spam and I basically avoid it unless I need to check a booking/appointment confirmation or harangue my estate agents.

I presume "bbs" is pronounced as "babes" and is a term of endearment i.e "hello babes/darling etc"?

[Huxleys Babkins]

The only place a friend of mine has seen people use BB is on Chaturbate, short for baby.

Weird for companies to be using it in emails, he added.

[shiftwork2]

I was wondering what the point of non-work email was earlier; it seems it's there to keep this kind of promo bollocks away from messages that you might be interested in.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

The only place a friend of mine has seen people use BB is on Chaturbate, short for baby.

Weird for companies to be using it in emails, he added.

Is this 'friend' of yours called Buxleys Babkins by any chance?

[thelittlemango]

I get similarly triggered when I see The Independent's BREAKING NEWS on my feed. They've overused it to such an extent that whereas it should be saved for events of real significance that people need to stop what they're doing to read, instead it will be about something really trivial. It annoys me because it always works and I will always read it, but it comes across like the person who has URGENT in the subject of every single email they write.

[Kankurette]

I switched the News app off on my phone because it kept waking me up and half the time it wasn't even that important anyway. The only things I was arsed about were Biden winning the election and Maradona dying.

And Mango, I used to work as a legal secretary and I had colleagues who'd mark everything URGENT URGENT URGENT in the dictation because they knew I'd do it. Including a letter about parking fees, which had absolutely fuck all to do with my job.