As if all other efforts to push McCafe on the public weren’t enough, the mega chain is now giving away free coffee; plus you know you’ve had too much coffee when…

Starting today, McDonald’s will introduce a new push to get hamburger-loving customers to give their new coffee creations a whirl. Every Monday from now until August 3rd, between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 pm., customers can try a seven-ounce iced mocha or an eight-ounce hot mocha free of charge.

The higher ups at Mickey D’s are saying that this is among the largest sampling initiatives the company has ever taken. The company expects to give away some 10 million mochas between now and the end of the promotion.

I have to admit my first reaction to this latest marketing move was “overkill”. As if radio, television, and print ads weren’t enough, now they’re planning to give it away? I was under the impression that McCafe had already reached the saturation point and that most customers had already decided that it was either something they’d enjoy or just keep driving.

Anymore when a company gives a product away, they try to do it quietly, making the customer feel like they’re in on a secret or that what the customer is getting is something really special, something worth having. But by televising the fact that they’re giving product away for free, McDonald’s fails to create the buzz necessary to provide that feeling.

Besides, this hasn’t been the best summer for companies who want to encourage customers to try a new product by giving it away. It hasn’t been that long since KFC learned just how desperate people can get when free chicken is on the line.

Some reasons to laugh

It’s Monday. Which means that unless you don’t work a traditional 9 to 5, Monday through Friday schedule, you could probably use a laugh right about now to get your week started.

The following are among babyboomeradvisorclub.com’s 15 Reasons You Might Have a Coffee Addition:
-You sleep with your eyes open.
-You have to watch videos in fast-forward.
-The only time you’re standing still is during an earthquake.
-You can take a picture of yourself from ten feet away without using the timer.
-You’re so jittery that people use your hands to blend their margaritas.
-You can type sixty words per minute with your feet.
-You can jump-start your car without cables.
-You don’t sweat, you percolate.
-You walk twenty miles on your treadmill before you realize it’s not plugged in.
I think some of us can probably relate. I’m off to continue using my favorite brew to pry my eyes open and face the week. Happy Monday!

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