Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Refrigerator Magnets.

On the side of my refrigerator are no less than twenty promotional magnets, only one or two of which serves any present purpose. They may have served some purpose in the past, even if a minor one, but no one seems to think that a purposeless refrigerator magnet should be discarded, including me. Actually, I think I'm the one that makes sure they don't get thrown out. Well, at least that's true for six of them, anyway.

They are the six large Texas Rangers baseball-schedule magnets, starting with year 1997, each received on opening day of a baseball season. Those magnets represent about 20 years of going to Rangers games with my wife and children, and as they say, "them were good times."

Also, not to be discarded is a magnet with a family picture of an old and close friend. He's a missionary and it's a way for him to ask for prayer and other support when we can.

But I have magnets for several people no longer in business, an insurance agent and a plumber. I have a magnet for important Verizon telephone numbers. I don't have any Verizon accounts, though.  I have a magnet to remind me to buy my printer toner from a place called Inksell. I don't know if I have ever done it. I have a magnet from the Dallas Morning News, a newspaper to which I no longer subscribe -- as of at least ten years ago. A "Trains Galore" magnet. I have no idea what that is. And one for the Trinity Railway Express. You get the idea.

They're not really hurting anything but I wonder if a stranger walking into the house thinks, "why do they have so many magnets on the side of the refrigerator?"

To which I have no answer. Maybe you do.

5 comments:

Jake Good said...

Good question. Our refrigerator is covered in pictures and magnets... It annoys me, cause crap falls off all the time, but the Mrs. loves it.

Strangely enough, with magnet advertising, it's really invasive and sticky (::groan::)... Think about all the advertising we're subjected to? They seem to be the longest lasting... but I would bet the most ignored and probably the least ROI/"click-through"

Would be interesting to see studies on it...

Francis Shivone said...

Jake - yea, I agree. Anything that falls off when opening the refrigerator door is on probation. Three fall offs and you're out. Judgment, no mercy. No soup for you.

ROI on magnets, like anything, must depend on the interest of the prospect. If I am already a customer and ask for a card or something, that's a good use for a magnet, if you're just handing them out to anyone. Worthless. That's my guess, anyway.

Lynn said...

I have several. Some of them inspiring, or quasi-inspiring. One, a sheep's head (because it's all knitting, all the time, chez Ravelled). And some magnetized chip clips in the form of kissy lips, because on those rare occasions when I buy chips, it's fun to have them biting the bag...

John said...

Our kitchen fridge (now in the garage) is covered with magnets. Fun ones, kids, photos, note holders, and I used to bring one back from anywhere I traveled. I considered them bumper stickers.

Then for interior design considerations, most magnets are banned from the new fridge.

At least the old one in the garage is still adorned.

Francis Shivone said...

Lynn -- "Lips" chip holder magnet. I'm afraid I'd have to ban that one. There should be a law against such things.)

John -- Sorry to hear the old fellows are banned to the garage, but I do understand. BTW, cracked Sound and Fury yesterday, again, tough reading, even though I know it is greatness.