# Mail from Christian Henson (Spitfire)?



## tav.one (Oct 16, 2017)

Am I the only one?


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## evilantal (Oct 16, 2017)

Nope


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## Steinmetzify (Oct 16, 2017)

Nope, that was weird. 

Emailed him back to let him know personal emails jumped over to business.


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## matolen (Oct 16, 2017)

Potty mouths, lol


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

yeah, also emailed him back. I'm sure he'll get a bunch of good samaritans.


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## AlexanderSchiborr (Oct 16, 2017)

Maybe to much beers...lol..got one too..


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

might be an interesting social experiment to see how many people download the patch in the email vs how many don't. lol


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## Paul Owen (Oct 16, 2017)

Just got it. Carol sounds like a demon!


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## Ruffian Price (Oct 16, 2017)

Definitely viral marketing. The free patch is pretty cool, the "unlisted teaser video" (love that faux timecode effect) was just pointless tbh


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## mac (Oct 16, 2017)

I assumed it might be a viral marketing method? Certainly peaks my interest.


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## tav.one (Oct 16, 2017)

That strings patch though, is that unreleased?


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## Guffy (Oct 16, 2017)

"Sorry, had a couple of beers, probably getting a little over excited!"
Not too far from the truth i guess 

Just a clever marketing stunt from SF i reckon.


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

lol wow, of course it's a publicity stunt. how gullible am I? kind of lame marketing, if you ask me.


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## NoamL (Oct 16, 2017)

Next level marketing










prodigalson said:


> might be an interesting social experiment to see how many people download the patch in the email vs how many don't. lol



I used WeTransfer all the time on the first film I ever did (before I switched to DropBox) and it sends a confirmation email when the recipient downloads the file.

AKA, don't do it guys. Be better than that 

BTW I wonder why the SF guys are still using WeTransfer instead of Dropbox


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## Killiard (Oct 16, 2017)

Yup. I emailed back straightaway saying he’d sent it in error and that I hadn’t touched the links!


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## Raphioli (Oct 16, 2017)

I received it too.

When I saw MailOSXs notification popup on the top right hand corner of my screen saying I received an e-mail from Christian Henson, I was like, "OMG wow! when did I get to know Christian personally".
Then I immediately noticed that the mail wasn't for me and my facial expression went from  to


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## Ruffian Price (Oct 16, 2017)

prodigalson said:


> lol wow, of course it's a publicity stunt. how gullible am I? kind of lame marketing, if you ask me.


Don't be ashamed of that reply now, there could be some promotion involved. Maybe _first twenty get a discount_ or something, like with Phobos.


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## synthpunk (Oct 16, 2017)

sleep deprivation catches up with you eventually @christianhenson


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## tav.one (Oct 16, 2017)

NoamL said:


> I use WeTransfer all the time and I get a confirmation email when the recipient downloads the file.



That is only when the original recipient downloads it.


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## Ihnoc (Oct 16, 2017)

Got this too. Glad to see I'm not going mad. Honestly, I had a play and then flushed it from my drive.

Either a great marketing stunt or an honest mistake.


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## J Royles-Atkins (Oct 16, 2017)

I thought it was just for me haha. Christian if you see this could I have Carol’s number too? My backs in stitches. Cheers


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## reutunes (Oct 16, 2017)

Sneaky marketing tactic for sure as the email addresses in the text are not Christian or Paul's real email contacts. Interesting approach although will probably create a ton of confused emails back to them. I feel sorry for their support guys. The patch is just some sustained whispery strings.


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## storyteller (Oct 16, 2017)

All of the links are spitfire mailing list trackbacks if you actually click on them. Right click -> copy link. You'll see what I mean.


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## tack (Oct 16, 2017)

Also all the links in that email are tracked through list-manage.com. Looks like an attempt at guerrilla marketing.


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

too contrived if you ask me. they actually went to the trouble of creating some fake conversation between the two? 

but, i guess it's working!


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## Virtuoso (Oct 16, 2017)

Is anyone else missing the contact details for 'brutal Carol'?


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## Tyll (Oct 16, 2017)

Wait is this real? Has someone clicked the bit.ly link? I mean the Youtube link to a private Spitfire video on Youtube indicates it's somewhat save. However, after having heard that someone broke into Spitfire's office sending such a dubious mail is a stupid move either way.


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## Raphioli (Oct 16, 2017)

tack said:


> Also all the links in that email are tracked through list-manage.com. Looks like an attempt at guerrilla marketing.



Well, if that mail wasn't by mistake and was on purpose, they definitely got me interested.
So I guess they succeeded lol


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

Killiard said:


> Yup. I emailed back straightaway saying he’d sent it in error and that I hadn’t touched the links!


Did the same!
...have of course now pillaged all the links!


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

LOL marketing

Was that Sh*t Creek in the video? Do they have a paddle?


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## thereus (Oct 16, 2017)

Albion 6?


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## NoamL (Oct 16, 2017)

storyteller said:


> All of the links are spitfire mailing list trackbacks if you actually click on them. Right click -> copy link. You'll see what I mean.



Is it possible they have some kind of mail macro that turns all links into trackbacks if sent to the customer list? There's hardly a point to collecting trackbacks on an unlisted Youtube video....


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## Raphioli (Oct 16, 2017)

thereus said:


> Albion 6?


Exactly what I'm guessing.


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

Careless whisper? George Michael? Death last Christmas? Water bed?


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

Albion 6: Sounds Up Sh*t Creek


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## jononotbono (Oct 16, 2017)

Raphioli said:


> Exactly what I'm guessing.



I’m up for another Albion! That would be wicked!


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## Anders Bru (Oct 16, 2017)

It's an amusing marketing technique  I quite liked it. For those curious, all links are safe, and the Kontakt-patch sounds lovely! Sounds similar to Albion 5 Tundra, could be from the new Olafur Arnalds library Christian filmed in one of his blogs?


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## Kaufmanmoon (Oct 16, 2017)

I feel for it hook, line and sinker, but I didn't click. 
I felt like Charlie Bucket when his allegiance is tested in Willy Wonka. 
I didn't keep the Everlasting Gobstopper.


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## Ruffian Price (Oct 16, 2017)

prodigalson said:


> they actually went to the trouble of creating some fake conversation between the two?


It even feels like the kind-of-edgy-but-not-too-much conversations you see on chat application screenshot mockups.


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

OT do something incredibly newsworthy (which is to put one of the all time great sample libraries, BWW, on sale) and it is totally trumped by a fake drunken ramble!

Touche! Game changer.


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## J-M (Oct 16, 2017)

"Wtf! downloading now lol"-part made chuckle a bit. But in all seriousness...I only have Albion ONE, but I sure wouldn't mind seeing a new one!


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## jononotbono (Oct 16, 2017)

Kaufmanmoon said:


> I feel for it hook, line and sinker, but I didn't click.
> I felt like Charlie Bucket when his allegiance is tested in Willy Wonka.
> I didn't keep the Everlasting Gobstopper.



I didn’t download that patch either. Felt like the Police were gonna smash through my front door if I did!


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## duanran007 (Oct 16, 2017)

"our community and medioids are going to go mental"


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## evilantal (Oct 16, 2017)

I love these kinds of guerilla marketing tactics 
Kudos to 'em


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## storyteller (Oct 16, 2017)

NoamL said:


> Is it possible they have some kind of mail macro that turns all links into trackbacks if sent to the customer list? There's hardly a point to collecting trackbacks on an unlisted Youtube video....


List-manage is a mailchimp thing which (as far as I am aware) requires you to send the email from within Mailchimp's website or from a website tied to their API. As a general rule of thumb, it is very possible, but in this case, it is very unlikely since it uses Mailchimp.

*Update: *According to my mailchimp account, emails sent to the "email beamer email address" (e.g. your mailing list) are saved as drafts within Mailchimp and not sent out directly. So ultimately, the answer is that it had to be sent out with a secondary manual approval even if it was accidentally sent to a mailing list.


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## resound (Oct 16, 2017)

What I really want to know is, who is this Carol and what can she do for my back?


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## alexballmusic (Oct 16, 2017)

Fell for it. Well played, very well played.


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## NoamL (Oct 16, 2017)

duanran007 said:


> "our community and medioids are going to go mental"



The blogs were going crazy!



BTW believe it or not, yes this was a real ad in the 2008 primaries...


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## reutunes (Oct 16, 2017)




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## desert (Oct 16, 2017)

This sickening from Spitfire.

It's really low for them to attempt this marketing and it damages their brand.

The sad part is, so many people would believe it was an actual leak (quite clearly shown in this thread).

Poor form, Christian.

(Now everyone will start talking about this email...)


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## thereus (Oct 16, 2017)

dŵr?


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## NoamL (Oct 16, 2017)

storyteller said:


> List-manage is a mailchimp thing which (as far as I am aware) requires you to send the email from within Mailchimp's website or from a website tied to their API. As a general rule of thumb, it is very possible, but in this case, it is very unlikely since it uses Mailchimp.



Cool thanks for the info.

Now I feel silly for quickly closing Logic and opening up my browser to send CH an alert that he screwed up that email.

Back to work!


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Oct 16, 2017)

Why haven't I received this? Curious to see the made up conversation chain.

Edit: Found it in spam. Looks like the spam filter worked for once...


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

NoamL said:


> Cool thanks for the info.
> 
> Now I feel silly for quickly closing Logic and opening up my browser to send CH an alert that he screwed up that email.
> 
> Back to work!



Don't feel bad. it just means that there's still some good in the world.


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

mc_deli said:


> OT do something incredibly newsworthy (which is to put one of the all time great sample libraries, BWW, on sale) and it is totally trumped by a fake drunken ramble!
> 
> Touche! Game changer.



That is some Trump-level shit right there!


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

storyteller said:


> So ultimately, the answer is that it had to be sent out manually.


 ...der that's what the chimp is for!


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## AdamKmusic (Oct 16, 2017)

desert said:


> This sickening from Spitfire.
> 
> It's really low for them to attempt this marketing and it damages their brand.
> 
> ...


Is this a serious post? I can’t quite tell.


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

AdamKmusic said:


> Is this a serious post? I can’t quite tell.


 Me too


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## storyteller (Oct 16, 2017)

mc_deli said:


> ...der that's what the chimp is for!


haha. Should've said "with a secondary manual approval."


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## kimarnesen (Oct 16, 2017)

I hereby take the exclusive right to use the email for a small opera


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## StillLife (Oct 16, 2017)

Anders Bru said:


> It's an amusing marketing technique  I quite liked it. For those curious, all links are safe, and the Kontakt-patch sounds lovely! Sounds similar to Albion 5 Tundra, could be from the new Olafur Arnalds library Christian filmed in one of his blogs?


That's a relief. I feared a virus.


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## desert (Oct 16, 2017)

AdamKmusic said:


> Is this a serious post? I can’t quite tell.


I am being serious. This is a marketing technique by Spitfire. Please stop bumping this thread as it's creating the discussion they wanted with their "leaked" email


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## N.Caffrey (Oct 16, 2017)

desert said:


> I am being serious. This is a marketing technique by Spitfire. Please stop bumping this thread as it's creating the discussion they wanted with their "leaked" email


what's the problem with it? they even gave a free patch of lovely string textures. I found the email creative


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## Luke W (Oct 16, 2017)

desert said:


> I am being serious. This is a marketing technique by Spitfire. Please stop bumping this thread as it's creating the discussion they wanted with their "leaked" email


...he said as he bumped the thread.


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## reutunes (Oct 16, 2017)




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## pfmusic (Oct 16, 2017)

First I thought the email was sent by mistake...but...a very clever marketing manoeuvre that's got people talking here and on other social media platforms. Well played Spitfire Audio! Will be interested to see where you go from here?


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## Raphioli (Oct 16, 2017)

N.Caffrey said:


> what's the problem with it? they even gave a free patch of lovely string textures. I found the email creative



I also don't know what the problem is.
Even if its marketing.

But I guess its about having different set of values. (each to their own)


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## mac (Oct 16, 2017)

I think its brilliant marketing. Videos, free patches, entertaining to read..well done @Spitfire Team @SpitfireSupport


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## MaxOctane (Oct 16, 2017)

This mail was hilarious!!! I got it, thought wtf did Christian goof, rushed here and realized it was all marketing (in a good way).

I fucking love these guys.


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

desert said:


> I am being serious. This is a marketing technique by Spitfire. Please stop bumping this thread as it's creating the discussion they wanted with their "leaked" email


OOPS


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## Nesciochamp (Oct 16, 2017)

hahaha, great stunt!


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## Orchestrata (Oct 16, 2017)

I quite liked it as a once-off cheeky bit of marketing; a nice break from "ONLY HOURS LEFT ON THE LATEST 8DIO SALE!! TICK TOCK TICK TOCK!"


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## leon chevalier (Oct 16, 2017)




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## rottoy (Oct 16, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I didn’t download that patch either. Felt like the Police were gonna smash through my front door if I did!


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## synthpunk (Oct 16, 2017)

AdamKmusic said:


> Is this a serious post? I can’t quite tell.



If it is...


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## JanR (Oct 16, 2017)

Brilliant marketing! I was at the gym working out when I got the email. Never have I rushed through a workout session so fast to be able to get my hands on the free good stuff haha ))


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> If it is...


..any of you guys touch any of my libraries...


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## ChristopherDoucet (Oct 16, 2017)

oh damn, I deleted it without reading it when I realized it wasn't for me.


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## procreative (Oct 16, 2017)

I've got mixed feelings about this, not sure of the legality of sending this type of email. There are strict rules on spam and this is something masquerading as something else.

I like Spitfire products, but some of their marketing ploys push the boundaries of what is "news" and what is


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## gyprock (Oct 16, 2017)

I hate this type of moronic "clever" marketing. Deleted the email straight away without even reading it.


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## kimarnesen (Oct 16, 2017)

procreative said:


> I've got mixed feelings about this, not sure of the legality of sending this type of email. There are strict rules on spam and this is something masquerading as something else.
> 
> I like Spitfire products, but some of their marketing ploys push the boundaries of what is "news" and what is



They have probably just sent it to subscribers of newsletters anyway.


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## brett (Oct 16, 2017)

In a race between conspiracy and stuff-up I'd put my money on stuff-up every time. But hey, let's see...


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## Silence-is-Golden (Oct 16, 2017)

Christian recently said in his vlog that SA got mugged, and possibly this is a result of that?

If you look at the emailadresses you see one time christianh and another christianht being used.

I think we all got spammed.... presumably


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

Silence-is-Golden said:


> Christian recently said in his vlog that SA got mugged, and possibly this is a result of that?
> 
> If you look at the emailadresses you see one time christianh and another christianht being used.
> 
> I think we all got spammed.... presumably



they probably just created new fake email addresses for this stunt so that christian wouldn't actually receive a million emails from us suckers


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## reutunes (Oct 16, 2017)

procreative said:


> I've got mixed feelings about this, not sure of the legality of sending this type of email. There are strict rules on spam and this is something masquerading as something else.
> 
> I like Spitfire products, but some of their marketing ploys push the boundaries of what is "news" and what is



I was just about to write a long and rambling piece about email marketing and what UK law classes as "misleading" promotions (luckily my partner is a intellectual property lawyer) but it's probably not appropriate here. Feel free to look it up for yourselves.


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## paoling (Oct 16, 2017)

There’s zero chance that you can send a private mail as a mailing list. This mail comes straight from Mailchimp, as you can see in the lower links. This is marketing. Spitfire has been a reference for us with their marketing and beautiful videos, until now. They are ruining their brand.


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

I got this email too. I responded to it to let them know it was sent in error and then I realised that it was being sent to a mailing list and that it was just a marketing stunt.

They got what they wanted I guess because everyone is talking about it but I am now unsubscribed from the mailing list and all the Spitfire emails now go into my spam folder. 

I get what they were trying to do, but I dislike the fact that I went out of my way in good faith to respond to the email I believed sent in error only to realise it was yet more marketing. 

-DJ


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## Whatisvalis (Oct 16, 2017)

I just deleted it, thinking it was a mistake.


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## ChristopherDoucet (Oct 16, 2017)

Hey......free instruments??!?!? Send me all the clever marketing you want!


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

I tend to agree. I'm usually pretty soft on them when it comes to their marketing, but this just seems a bit too cute and trying to be clever for it's own good. But again, it's working for them!


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## Pontus Rufelt (Oct 16, 2017)

Appears to be a marketing stunt. Silly and juvenile - unsubscribed. Their marketing has been borderline spam-like for some time, they are really ruining their brand.


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## jononotbono (Oct 16, 2017)

I e-mailed thinking it was sent in error. Then I realised it was marketing and started laughing as it’s just a bit of fun. They just gave me (and anyone else who got the email) a free Patch of great sounding Strings. What’s not to love about that.


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> I e-mailed thinking it was sent in error. Then I realised it was marketing and started laughing as it’s just a bit of fun. They just gave me (and anyone else who got the email) a free Patch of great sounding Strings. What’s not to love about that.



The free patch is nice and all but I would have been more stoked if I got an email saying hey new free strings patch!!! Instead I feel like they took advantage of my good will in having me 'realise' it wasn't meant for me and respond to let them know. When I realised it was marketing it made me feel dumb and stupid for having responded, and now I feel like the new patch can go fuck itself. Thats my initial emotional reaction to being made to feel a fool.

-DJ


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## jononotbono (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> The free patch is nice and all but I would have been more stoked if I got an email saying hey new free strings patch!!! Instead I feel like they took advantage of my good will in having me 'realise' it wasn't meant for me and respond to let them know. When I realised it was marketing it made me feel dumb and stupid for having responded, and now I feel like the new patch can go fuck itself. Thats my initial emotional reaction to being made to feel a fool.
> 
> -DJ



Fair enough. It didn't make me feel like a fool at all as I just felt like it's a bit of a laugh but I guess we all react to these kind of things differently. To each their own and all that! 

Jono


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## sostenuto (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> The free patch is nice and all but I would have been more stoked if I got an email saying hey new free strings patch!!! Instead I feel like they took advantage of my good will in having me 'realise' it wasn't meant for me and respond to let them know. When I realised it was marketing it made me feel dumb and stupid for having responded, and now I feel like the new patch can go fuck itself. Thats my initial emotional reaction to being made to feel a fool.
> 
> -DJ



Career Mktg guy ... global hi-tech ... and SF has lost it !! Really ! 

'I'm always excited today ..... ' gimme a break .........


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

sostenuto said:


> Career Mktg guy ... global hi-tech ... and SF has lost it !! Really !
> 
> 'I'm always excited today ..... ' gimme a break .........


what?


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## sostenuto (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> what?



Mktg _ every single Walkthrough. C'mon ! Is there a Marketing dude in the house ?

Dnld'd the Patch. and ...........


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## Mornats (Oct 16, 2017)

I have a Spitfire account and I'm signed up to their emails but I never get them.


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## NoamL (Oct 16, 2017)

Mornats said:


> I have a Spitfire account and I'm signed up to their emails but I never get them.



Want mine?


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## sostenuto (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> what?





Mornats said:


> I have a Spitfire account and I'm signed up to their emails but I never get them.



Heh heh ... more strong Mktg . Got this one and pissed wasting my time.


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

sostenuto said:


> Mktg _ every single Walkthrough. C'mon ! Is there a Marketing dude in the house ?
> 
> Dnld'd the Patch. and ...........



Seriously...what? Try using full english sentences man, I still have no idea what you are trying to say xD

-DJ


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## synthpunk (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel, I hope your ego feels better in the morning. SP



Daniel James said:


> The free patch is nice and all but I would have been more stoked if I got an email saying hey new free strings patch!!! Instead I feel like they took advantage of my good will in having me 'realise' it wasn't meant for me and respond to let them know. When I realised it was marketing it made me feel dumb and stupid for having responded, and now I feel like the new patch can go fuck itself. Thats my initial emotional reaction to being made to feel a fool.
> 
> -DJ


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## sostenuto (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> Seriously...what? Try using full english sentences man, I still have no idea what you are trying to say xD
> 
> -DJ



Never mind .... 
Every Walkthrough ... No enthusiastic intro, just over and over. Mktg tries to add some interest, some variety.


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> Daniel, I hope your ego feels better in the morning. SP



It's not about my ego. Its about feeling like the good nature of those who were trying to help out a fellow composer/developer who it appeared made a mistake, was taken advantage of for the sake of marketing.

If it was an issue of ego I wouldn't be vocalising a mistake I made now would I. I was made to feel a fool for wanting to help someone I thought made a mistake. There is a very big difference. 

-DJ


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## synthpunk (Oct 16, 2017)

Daniel, I'm pretty sure Spitfire marketing has made a mistake in predicting what some peoples reaction to this would be. Lets see what @christianhenson or @paulthomson have to say first. I think its just someone thinking they were being silly, cute, or a inside joke (I have actually seen real life email chains like this go down) and not thinking the whole thing through. We all been there at one time or another.



Daniel James said:


> Heh its not about my ego. Its about feeling like the good nature of those who were trying to help out a fellow composer/developer who it appeared made a mistake was taken advantage of for the sake of marketing.
> 
> -DJ


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## chillbot (Oct 16, 2017)

What's wrong with a kiss, boy, hmm? Why not start her off with a nice kiss?

Why does it have to be so complicated. Do they not sell libraries?


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## MarcelM (Oct 16, 2017)

got the mail aswell and ofcourse send an answer 

well... we are all humans and make mistakes huh 

kinda funny though


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## s_bettinzana (Oct 16, 2017)

I have a lot of their libraries, but I was seriously tempted to click on the "unsubscribe from this list" link.


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## FinGael (Oct 16, 2017)

Got it too. Have not downloaded the strings patch. _IF_ this was marketing, don't honestly know what to think about it. Something bothers me in it.

It reminds me of a time in my past, when me and my buddies of that time failed as entrepreneurs. I remember very well the feeling when our hearts (and attention) no longer were in what we did and when we started to focus on all the other things than what we had been doing and what was the original purpose and the source of income for that company.

Sincerely hope that is not the case with Spitfire.

Personally for me good and solid products are more important than flashy marketing. Especially in sound libraries. I like for example the way Alex Wallbank is handling his business; pretty much the products speak for themselves, without game-changing superlative sales pitches and such marketing videos - which can become quite tiresome after a while.

I remember the feeling when I first encountered Spitfire Audio libraries. Really liked the stylistic design in the merchandise and in addition to the thing that they sounded great, they felt sort of magical and different to me. Maybe it was the love of those guys had personally put in them. Don't know. Well, it is just my feeling, nothing to write home about, but I have noticed that I don't feel it anymore.

Personally I would like to see more great Spitfire Audio products instead of fancy marketing tricks.

Anyway, I wish and hope all the best for the company and everyone associated with them.


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## JonSolo (Oct 16, 2017)

Hipsters... (um, of the British variety, heh)(no offense to Brits. Hipsters? Who cares?). Overly coy, and not attractive. Unprofessional.


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## germancomponist (Oct 16, 2017)

This marketing idea is not on a high level. I laughed, but imagine many other companies are beginning to advertise the same way. This can be very annoying very quickly, I think.
But yeah, this little string patch sounds good and who knows, maybe I use it in my next project. 

Thanks, Spitfire!


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## Geoff Grace (Oct 16, 2017)

Did someone at Spitfire own up to this being a marketing ploy, or are people here deciding it is based on the assertion that it's impossible to erroneously send email through Mail Chimp?

As for me, I don't much care one way or another. If Spitfire creates a good product that fills a needed void, then I'll probably buy it. If not, then I won't.

I do believe in the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty though. But YMMV.

Best,

Geoff


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## Kyle Preston (Oct 16, 2017)

Mornats said:


> I have a Spitfire account and I'm signed up to their emails but I never get them.



Same here. Not sure why I didn't get this email. Would love me some new SF strings though. Is it weird to feel jealous that my kindness _wasn't_ taken advantage of?


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## chillbot (Oct 16, 2017)

Can forward to you if you PM me your email? I dunno, is that legal? Is any of this legal? I didn't download insta-delete for me. But I can dig it out of the trash...



Kyle Preston said:


> Would love me some new SF strings though.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Oct 16, 2017)

Kyle Preston said:


> Same here. Not sure why I didn't get this email. Would love me some new SF strings though. Is it weird to feel jealous that my kindness _wasn't_ taken advantage of?



It's somehow separate from their email list. I switched my SF account email and now only get them through email forwarding from my old email account that I had subscribed on.


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## higgs (Oct 16, 2017)

I demanded beers.


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## Greg (Oct 16, 2017)

Lol I thought it was funny. I like companies that let their guard down and have fun with marketing / image.


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## prodigalson (Oct 16, 2017)

I dunno. It feels too contrived and disingenuous to me. I know ALL marketing is manipulative but at least with good marketing I don't know I'm being manipulated. 

a fake email thread intended to make people feel like they're in on a secret? 

I imagine them over at Spitfire HQ, laughing at how many people have emailed them letting them know they "effed up". Maybe it'll make Christian's next youtube video...


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## heisenberg (Oct 16, 2017)

prodigalson said:


> I imagine them over at Spitfire HQ, laughing at how many people have emailed them letting them know they "effed up". Maybe it'll make Christian's next youtube video...



I'm thinking the same thing.

Note to self: stay away from corporate email when you've been drinking.


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## LamaRose (Oct 16, 2017)

I feel betrayed... violated... a snowflake melting... like Frosty... or maybe the Wicked Witch. Please Spitfire, no more Chunky Monkey... vanilla is fine... everything is fine. Stay between the lines, step back in the box. Thank you, from everyone here in Squaresville.


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 16, 2017)

I've already used it in a cue that has made me thousands of dollars. So, market all you want...


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## adg21 (Oct 16, 2017)

LamaRose said:


> I feel betrayed... violated... a snowflake melting... like Frosty... or maybe the Wicked Witch. Please Spitfire, no more Chunky Monkey... vanilla is fine... everything is fine. Stay between the lines, step back in the box. Thank you, from everyone here in Squaresville.



It's arrogant and stupid. If you're busy, a composer hobbyist, have a bunch of work emails, need to do the school run. You don't this crap in your morning inbox anymore than a spammy email about viagra. Definitely one for the fanboys.


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## Daniel James (Oct 16, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> I've already used it in a cue that has made me thousands of dollars. So, market all you want...



Thousands of dollars already huh? say what is the EULA and permissions for using a 'leaked/stolen' sample in your work? I mean until its an actual released sample set, using it for professional work without knowing the restrictions behind it seems needlessly risky. Like what if I am actually wrong.... Christian was in his mail app emailing Paul and then accidentally left his mail app opened the internet, logged into mailchimp, copypasted the email chain to a new campaign, replied to the chain, then sent to all Spitfire users....I mean as ridiculous as that sounds, we dont know for sure that didn't happen. So to boast about using it in pro work already seems, like I said, a risk. A needless one that would have been avoided if they were just like "Hey guys new free sample set from an upcoming lib" I would have been all over that. But all this 'clever guerrilla marketing' rubs me the wrong way... Which is a shame cause I do love me some Spitfire, but not this.

-DJ


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## Quasar (Oct 16, 2017)

I first assumed it was spam, someone spoofing Spitfire, except the domain appeared to be legit, so I just ignored it...

...But after seeing all of this I downloaded the patch. Whether manipulative marketing or mistake, it hasn't changed my opinion of Spitfire at all. I still think they make great libraries and I've never been a fan of their marketing. I've purchased what I have from them despite the marketing tactics, not because of them...

...So, whatever. Don't much care about the narrative one way or the other.


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## WindcryMusic (Oct 16, 2017)

I had to look at the email for a minute or so before I determined it had to be marketing (since it was labeled as having been sent to a mailing list). I did download the free strings patch (haven't listened to it yet), but only after coming here and learning that it was considered safe.

I have been and remain a big fan of Spitfire, but I'd seriously ask them to think twice about using this kind of marketing. It reminds me very much of the constant satellite TV offers I get in the mail, invariably disguised as personal mail, or legal documents, or checks, or anything other than what's actually inside. I send those mailings directly to the shredder once they are identified, as well as noting the company as one that I will never do business with. I'm in no way feeling that strongly about one email about Spitfire and generally have welcomed their normal marketing emails because I like to know what they are working on, but if mailings like this were to become their modus operandi, things could change.


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## NYC Composer (Oct 16, 2017)

I'm a fan of Spitfire's libraries but a long time opponent of their marketing style. I unsubscribed.


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## Christof (Oct 16, 2017)

Interesting to observe how a rather simple and unspectacular mail conversation leads into a forum thread with more than 100 comments


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## desert (Oct 16, 2017)




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## Ryan (Oct 16, 2017)

For me, if this is a marketing-thing of a kind, I think they have a huge success. To see so many people writing about it seems like a great success for me. All public relations are good PR in this case..


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## mc_deli (Oct 16, 2017)

FinGael said:


> Got it too. Have not downloaded the strings patch. _IF_ this was marketing, don't honestly know what to think about it. Something bothers me in it.
> 
> It reminds me of a time in my past, when me and my buddies of that time failed as entrepreneurs. I remember very well the feeling when our hearts (and attention) no longer were in what we did and when we started to focus on all the other things than what we had been doing and what was the original purpose and the source of income for that company.
> 
> ...


Good point. It does look like the company is doing very well financially. There's a chance that some things start to look quite indulgent. 
Can't really fault them for making hay while the sun shines.


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## StillLife (Oct 16, 2017)

Why can't we just have a laugh about it?
I like to be suprised from time to time, even as a professional. Imagine the brainstorm session: "We should mention a chiropracticist!" "Brilliant" "And put in a 'wtf' in Paul's lines!" "Hahaha - I can't wait for the fallout on VI-control!"


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## Jaap (Oct 16, 2017)

StillLife said:


> Why can't we just have a laugh about it?
> I like to be suprised from time to time, even as a professional. Imagine the brainstorm session: "We should mention a chiropracticist!" "Brilliant" "And put in a 'wtf' in Paul's lines!" "Hahaha - I can't wait for the fallout on VI-control!"



Because for me when making purchases, eventough I love my work, it still a business purchase and lets say if if I am a professional builder I also don't want to get obscured by mails selling hammers in a funny way. You just want to purchase and research the tools of your craft and for me that is also here the point for me personally.


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## Michael Antrum (Oct 16, 2017)

Are you sure it was Spitfire that sent it ?

I’ll bet it was the Russians...... They are everywhere......

(Apparently)


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## URL (Oct 17, 2017)

Hope that no sensitive user data ended up in the wrong hands when they were burglary in the office ...


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## thereus (Oct 17, 2017)

Are we in a cult?


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## jamwerks (Oct 17, 2017)

Maybe @Mike Greene is behind all this? Look at all the resulting posting & time spent on the forum. That's more bucks for him!


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## lpuser (Oct 17, 2017)

I think that this marketing plot (clever or not) missed that not all of their customers are English native-speakers, which makes it very "problematic" to really understand the nature of this mail.

Spitfire are doing a lot of things right, but also (speaking as a customer) a lot of things wrong. E.g. their decision to shut down all their resellers - who did a very good job in translating marketing material - now results in me receiving big "photos" directly from Spitfire with just a few words written across them. All of which actually does not make me wanna buy anything anymore.


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## devonmyles (Oct 17, 2017)

Spitfire freebie drops through my letter box.
Good enough for me...


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 17, 2017)

The fact that the e-mail easily could look like a virus/phishing attempt complete with a bit.ly link turned me away from it.

That is never, ever gonna be clever marketing to me.


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## OleJoergensen (Oct 17, 2017)

I first thought it was a mail wrongly sent to me. 
I don’t hope it is a new form of marketing, it will be tastless!
But I have not seen SF use this kind of marketing, maybe its a hack?


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## Emmanuel Rousseau (Oct 17, 2017)

Hype level : Over 10,000.


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## procreative (Oct 17, 2017)

If this is a hacked account and the email was sent by a 3rd party phishing to see which emails work, then Spitfire should really get in touch with all their subscribers as this is a major data breach and any business that has been hacked must take it seriously.

What makes me wonder is that the email I received this on is one I dont use for my SF account.

Either way I think they should clarify somewhere as this has the potential to wreak havoc.


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## rottoy (Oct 17, 2017)

mikeybabes said:


> Are you sure it was Spitfire that sent it ?
> 
> I’ll bet it was the Russians...... They are everywhere......
> 
> (Apparently)


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## kimarnesen (Oct 17, 2017)

No wonder why they’re hiring a marketing assistant. Please apply  

https://www.spitfireaudio.com/careers/marketing-assistant/


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## christianhenson (Oct 17, 2017)

Hi there,

Thanks so much for all of your kind words regarding last night’s email, for being good sports and for putting up with us having a bit of fun here at Spitfire HQ. To be fair, this kind of post-Peroni howler by yours truly would be entirely plausible!

We’ve got a new library coming out, which as media composers, Paul and I are very excited about - so much so, that we have genuinely struggled to keep a lid on it! We searched our souls for a way to reach out to you all, not as devs, but as ourselves, because this is something we feel as fellow composers you should check out. So, no fancy artwork, no arty teasers, just two blokes getting so excited about a new piece of kit, that one of them inadvertently lets slip to the world.

Anyway, for now we hope you enjoy the free taster patch, which if you haven’t downloaded, is here:

http://bit.ly/2kUBW5A (FREEBIE)

Please feel free to use on your productions forevermore. But for now, and until release, please enjoy some fancy artwork and some arty teasers.

COMMERCIAL VI-C THREAD

Much love and respect.

Christian.


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## Ryan (Oct 17, 2017)

christianhenson said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Thanks so much for all of your kind words regarding last night’s email, for being good sports and for putting up with us having a bit of fun here at Spitfire HQ. To be fair, this kind of post-Peroni howler by yours truly would be entirely plausible!
> 
> ...



Been waiting for this since I "noticed" some cool things for a while back in your vlog


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## mac (Oct 17, 2017)

@christianhenson I for one found it more human than a pretty picture with 'coming soon...' wrote on it, and it mirrored your personalities and humour, so well done.


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## rocking.xmas.man (Oct 17, 2017)

so this has got to be what olafur arnalds was talking about in one of christians videos sitting in the control room of air lyndhurst. nice marketing move, I liked it. especially the sentence about it beeing a game changer made me smile


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## kimarnesen (Oct 17, 2017)

Is that Christian, or the Russian hacker?

No seriously, we need more humor.


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## MarcelM (Oct 17, 2017)

Unsubscribe Successful


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## nbd (Oct 17, 2017)

Heroix said:


> Unsubscribe Successful



Download Successful


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## NYC Composer (Oct 17, 2017)

christianhenson said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Thanks so much for all of your kind words regarding last night’s email, for being good sports and for putting up with us having a bit of fun here at Spitfire HQ. To be fair, this kind of post-Peroni howler by yours truly would be entirely plausible!
> 
> ...


Perhaps for your next campaign you can send out hints that the new library just MIGHT cure herpes. Nothing definitive, mind you, just a bit of good medical fun.


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## zvenx (Oct 17, 2017)

ChristopherDoucet said:


> oh damn, I deleted it without reading it when I realized it wasn't for me.


exactly what I did.
rsp


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## D Halgren (Oct 17, 2017)

christianhenson said:


> Hi there,
> 
> Thanks so much for all of your kind words regarding last night’s email, for being good sports and for putting up with us having a bit of fun here at Spitfire HQ. To be fair, this kind of post-Peroni howler by yours truly would be entirely plausible!
> 
> ...



Do you need the full Kontakt to use the teaser patches?


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## Quasar (Oct 17, 2017)

D Halgren said:


> Do you need the full Kontakt to use the teaser patches?



The samples are open .wav, so I assume so. You CAN use it in 5.6.6, which is cool, since Native Instruments post-Kontakt 5.6.6 is dead to me. RIP.


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## D Halgren (Oct 17, 2017)

Quasar said:


> The samples are open .wav, so I assume so. You CAN use it in 5.6.6, which is cool, since Native Instruments post-Kontakt 5.6.6 is dead to me. RIP.



Thanks for your reply. I could use the WAV in another sampler.


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## John Busby (Oct 17, 2017)

C'mon folks, really? some of you are acting like they just shit in your coolaide.
Some fun marketing + free samples, man...sounds like hard times


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## gamma-ut (Oct 17, 2017)

Felt shady to me - it looked contrived from the get-go and it was obviously a piece of "viral" marketing once it became obvious other people got the email miraculously drunk-sent to them. Bitly link inside? Could easily have been a phishing email. The only viral part of it is that it makes me queasy. That doesn't sound like good marketing to me.


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## Michael Antrum (Oct 17, 2017)




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## VinRice (Oct 17, 2017)

Spitfire, how dare you try and be imaginative in your marketing?! Just cos you're all successful and British an'all. That's not how we do it round these parts. I want my Viagra ads back dammit!!


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 17, 2017)

VinRice said:


> Spitfire, how dare you try and be imaginative in your marketing?! Just cos you're all successful and British an'all. That's not how we do it round these parts. I want my Viagra ads back dammit!!



That's a ridiculous response.

If you want to pull off such a stunt, at least use a valid link from your own server (spitfireaudio.com) or a known and awknowledged one like Wetransfer. Not Bitly...

Why not take it further the next time and disguise it like a Ghana-scam mail? Or a Paypal account validation one? There are lots of options like that to explore in the name of marketing.


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## VinRice (Oct 17, 2017)

Which somehow seems perfectly appropriate...


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## pixel (Oct 17, 2017)

It's cool that SF can make funny campaign. It seems that not everyone is able to understand British humour  
Professional doesn't need to be deadly serious, official and brutally boring. It's good that you showed up human part of yourself and you don't act like soulless business machine. 
I prefer this than boring e-mails without personality about new product. 

Also thanks for this patch and Herrmann Toolkit which is still installing after 20h of D/L


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## Simon Ravn (Oct 17, 2017)

This has nothing to do with British humour, Peruvian humour, Russian humour or anything, c'mon....

I don't think anyone in this thread has anything against the email not being a classic marketing effort. But when sending out emails you still need to have some guidelines to avoid mistaking the mail for a phishing one, since everybody get a lot of those already. So at least make the email look plausible in that respect.

Implying that this has anything to do with the ooooooh so royally superior patented British humour that we, humouristically inferior overseas people just don't get, is ridiculous and arrogant.


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

Simon Ravn said:


> This has nothing to do with British humour, Peruvian humour, Russian humour or anything, c'mon....
> 
> I don't think anyone in this thread has anything against the email not being a classic marketing effort. But when sending out emails you still need to have some guidelines to avoid mistaking the mail for a phishing one, since everybody get a lot of those already. So at least make the email look plausible in that respect.



I hear you, and 'phishing' was my first reaction too. But even then: what is lost? As you said, we get phishing mails quite often and deleting them is a routine job. This time, I thought: before deleting, lets visit VI-control. That throwed me into this thread and gave me a good laugh. I agree that it was a kind of risky thing to do for them, confusing your customers is potentially bad for bussiness. They certainly did not choose an obvious marketing route - and that is what I like about it.


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## Vastman (Oct 17, 2017)

To be quite honest I think this is a cheesy stupid move...stirring up the community, causing concern and wasting the time of some, practicing a deceptive tactic, and...then throwing in a supposedly free soundfield cloaked in the possibility that if I open it I might be stealing, peering I to someone's private life or opening an identity theft/hacked unscrupulous poisoned file... ransomware or who knows what

Email fraud, identity theft, spoofing/ransom ware piggybacking on top of seemingly legitimate files (especially after the recent purported break in Christian mentioned in his Vblogging) and such things are REAL and a serious problem these days...

Dumb fucking artists falling all over themselves to praise this occurance as they got a free file...blowing off all the ramifications which flowed through some thoughtful brains...just encourages this downward spiral of gorilla marketing that bumps up against lots of lines of respectfullness.

I'm not impressed. I agree with @Daniel James that a free file given openly and honestly with an "Oh boy...wait'll you see what's on the horizon" is more how I'd like to be treated...All kinds of humor could have been built around this type of honest & fun respectful approach.

I just recently read through this thread. The initial postings more focused on "wtf is this shit?" were way more on point. How quickly we devolve into a feeding frinzy over a freeby, touting the marketing genius and ignoring the real issues surrounding this cheesy email.

Those of you who know me know I'm one of the most liberal free spirits around. This isn't about being an old fogey...time is precious, honesty is getting all too rare, and security/theft/integrity being toyed with is just plain stupid/sad. As a victim of identity theft...it is NOT pleasant.

And the idea of a bunch of blokes sitting around a pub slinging down some librations laughing at this is doubly sad.

I'm out...


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## Soundhound (Oct 17, 2017)

Tempest, may I introduce you to Teapot?


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## Kyle Preston (Oct 17, 2017)

Lotta people taking life pretty seriously in this thread...


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## pixel (Oct 17, 2017)

Simon Ravn said:


> This has nothing to do with British humour, Peruvian humour, Russian humour or anything, c'mon....
> 
> I don't think anyone in this thread has anything against the email not being a classic marketing effort. But when sending out emails you still need to have some guidelines to avoid mistaking the mail for a phishing one, since everybody get a lot of those already. So at least make the email look plausible in that respect.
> 
> Implying that this has anything to do with the ooooooh so royally superior patented British humour that we, humouristically inferior overseas people just don't get, is ridiculous and arrogant.



Man you overreacting this totally. I'm sorry if you feel upset I didnt mean that. Also there's tones of information on internet how to spot phishing e-mails. I think that every internet user should read that and learn about phishing and scam to avoid confusion like people have right now with SF e-mail.


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## mc_deli (Oct 17, 2017)

mikeybabes said:


>


Do you find this wisible centuwion?


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> Thousands of dollars already huh? say what is the EULA and permissions for using a 'leaked/stolen' sample in your work? I mean until its an actual released sample set, using it for professional work without knowing the restrictions behind it seems needlessly risky. Like what if I am actually wrong.... Christian was in his mail app emailing Paul and then accidentally left his mail app opened the internet, logged into mailchimp, copypasted the email chain to a new campaign, replied to the chain, then sent to all Spitfire users....I mean as ridiculous as that sounds, we dont know for sure that didn't happen. So to boast about using it in pro work already seems, like I said, a risk. A needless one that would have been avoided if they were just like "Hey guys new free sample set from an upcoming lib" I would have been all over that. But all this 'clever guerrilla marketing' rubs me the wrong way... Which is a shame cause I do love me some Spitfire, but not this.
> 
> -DJ



Dude, I was kidding.


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## Geoff Grace (Oct 17, 2017)

Judging from Christian's response, I'd say the whole thing was a practical joke—no more, no less. I'm no fan of practical jokes, but I'll save my outrage for more important issues (and unfortunately there are more important issues). In the meantime we all get a freebie, if we so desire.

Now on to the next thing...

Best,

Geoff


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

It was very obviously a goofy, cheeky way to give us a sneak peak at a new library...bypassing the fancy marketing (like they did with the LCO). I prefer this honestly. SF doesn't need to win me over at this point. If they come out with something that I don't want, need or even like...it's ok. Whatever it is is deliberate and goes all the way. It's fine. But for the most part, any string library (especially a mid, Sable, Evo size)...just take my $. It's all one big, "hybrid", overdubbed library to me at this point.

SOMEHOW, you guys found a way to get annoyed at this? Or am I not hearing the sarcasm. It was obviously their idea of fun...probably already hearing the:
"Huh?"
"Ooooh...heh!"
"Yea, take my $."


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## Johann F. (Oct 17, 2017)

IT'S A PRANK, BRO!

Be honest, how many of you wet your pants when you saw an email from your lord and saviour JC Henson only to realize you're nothing but part of a juvenile attempt of marketing? Not feeling so special now, hu? Here's a tissue. HA!

Anyway, by the logic of the "chill out, anything goes for a freebie" guys, we have the same right to spam Spitfire support with unsolicited email, providing they get some free compensation? Nudes? Hey, a freebie is a freebie, even a picture of my old wrinkled ass.


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## Welldone (Oct 17, 2017)

I have to say that this prank also rubbed me the wrong way. When I got the mail, I thought there was some kind of error or glitch on Spitfire's side. As a non-native English speaker, I took the time to reply to the mail, because I wanted to warn SA about a possible problem. After all, Christian had mentioned in a blog that there has been a robbery at their place. I even took the time to word my mail in a humorous way.

When I learned about the prank today, I felt cheated in a cheap way. I really wanted to help and the joke was on me. Honesty and trust are high values for me. I'm also a SA-customer, because until now I thought they are a class act and found their humour entertaining. Their latest move lacks style and good taste for me. 

As a customer I was forced to give SA an e-mail-address. I registered with my personal address, because I trusted them. I wasn't expecting that they might abuse this trust for practical jokes.


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## Christof (Oct 17, 2017)

Welldone said:


> I have to say that this prank also rubbed me the wrong way. When I got the mail, I thought there was some kind of error or glitch on Spitfire's side. As a non-native English speaker, I took the time to reply to the mail, because I wanted to warn SA about a possible problem. After all, Christian had mentioned in a blog that there has been a robbery at their place. I even took the time to word my mail in a humorous way.
> 
> When I learned about the prank today, I felt cheated in a cheap way. I really wanted to help and the joke was on me. Honesty and trust are high values for me. I'm also a SA-customer, because until now I thought they are a class act and found their humour entertaining. Their latest move lacks style and good taste for me.
> 
> As a customer I was forced to give SA an e-mail-address. I registered with my personal address, because I trusted them. I wasn't expecting that they might abuse this trust for practical jokes.


Agree.


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## synthpunk (Oct 17, 2017)

The future Tonehammer style split up is going to be epic.


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## procreative (Oct 17, 2017)

I feel the gimmicky promotional ideas are at odds with the artisanal production values and this email and some of the announcements somehow devalue the brand. I much prefer the Cinematic Strings way of doing things.

Less bullshit, just the product standing on its own merits.

Especially seeing as sample libraries don't permit refunds or resale. Don't build up unrealistic expectations...


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## Rodney Money (Oct 17, 2017)

As snobbish as some people think we are in the classical acoustic world, we do have a saying though, "Don't tell us you're good. Show us."


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## Soundhound (Oct 17, 2017)

Having worked in advertising most of my adult life, and not having seen the email, I'm guessing this is one of two things 

1- Christian and whoever else might have taken it on themselves to do it, in the spirit of the ongoing cheeky, fun customer dialogue style marketing the company has been doing. Either they didn't consult the marketing people who may well have put up a red flag saying it could alienate some people. And there were marketing meetings with people weeping into their laptops: "the client has gone rogue again". 

Or maybe they woudn't have caught it, marketing departments make as many mistakes as composers. Having worked as both, I can attest to this. 

Or

2) The marketing department did it, in which case they apparently miscalculated about what the reaction would be in some cases. 

Either way, I have to say that Spitfire's brand and marketing is my favorite in the category. When I first became aware of them I loved the wry vintage photos and the way things are written on the site. Clearly a lot of this comes from the people who created the company, their personality runs through much of what we see. It worked on a lot of levels, I don't know these guys, but feel like I like them and relate to them. That's good marketing.

When the new marketing came in a year or so ago I was at first not as crazy about it, but have become used to it and like it. It's more polished, though less personal (which may be what Christian's vlog helps make up for) but the product lineup has become much more streamlined and navigable. 

Regardless, seeing all this doesn't make me like them less at all. If it was a fuckup, well, how many times a day do I fuck up? Let me count the ways...


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## ysnyvz (Oct 17, 2017)

Rodney Money said:


> As snobbish as some people think we are in the classical acoustic world, we do have a saying though, "Don't tell us you're good. Show us."


There are proverbs in almost every language with similar meaning. Basically they all say "Actions speak louder than words."


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## Michael Antrum (Oct 17, 2017)

Not their finest hour I know, but as the great philosopher and intellectual, Kim Kardashian, once said;

"Who amongst us has not had 8 pints of snakebite and 3 packets of pork scratchings and thought to themselves - 'this is a great idea....' - only to wake up the next morning with an inappropriate tattoo and hazy memory of doing something that has left you with mild chafing ?"

and I have to say to myself, who indeed, Kim, who indeed....

[edit: Actually, I think it might have been David Hassellhoff.]


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## mouse (Oct 17, 2017)

They wanted to create a buzz. With ten pages of thread so far, it looks like it worked. Anyone who didn't hear about it now wants to know what it was and what it was about. Whether you like it or not, I'd call it a success...


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## Vischebaste (Oct 17, 2017)

Yep, pretty sure they've curated a viral game changer with this email. I actually soiled myself when I read it.


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## D Halgren (Oct 17, 2017)

I just want to know what the product is now. Mission accomplished!


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

Rodney Money said:


> As snobbish as some people think we are in the classical acoustic world, we do have a saying though, "Don't tell us you're good. Show us."



Well, that is completely at odds with how the Johann Johannsons, Bear McCrearys, 8dios and SFs explain how a drone, a bland motif, a piano or string library is the new sliced bread. This is an industry based on the song and dance...and mostly the dance.


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

mouse said:


> They wanted to create a buzz. With ten pages of thread so far, it looks like it worked. Anyone who didn't hear about it now wants to know what it was and what it was about. Whether you like it or not, I'd call it a success...



Stunts like this usually only work once. I hope for them this product was worth the subscribers they lose. 

For me it marks a shift from them using the professional marketing style which has clear boundary between customer and company, which I personally respect more as it respects my time and interest. To a more invasive feeling where they are essentially pulling practical jokes at the customer's expense, taking advantage of their good nature and trying to step into a more personal space without being invited. My friends can play practical jokes on me, my family can play practical jokes on me...its rude to assume you fit into one of these categories simply because you sell me things. 

I think Spitfire needs to decide what they are. You are either upstanding professionals as you seem to want to appear OR you are the buddy buddy down in the trenches wacky sample dev that plays jokes on customers. Trying to be both doesn't appear to work.

-DJ


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## JonSolo (Oct 17, 2017)

Samuel L Jackson and Capital One caught all sorts of flack over him saying "Damn" in a commercial. It was removed from television. That was weird, I'll admit. However, and I am not a prude, I do not like to have filthy language slung at me in advertising campaigns. I know I am in the minority, but I don't use that sort of speech, ever (the "f" word, not damn)! 

Simply put, however, I live in this world, and I expect it to happen. However, I do not expect it to happen from a company I give thousands of dollars to, especially when I thought we were on friendly terms. Even in a third person context, it is unprofessional, and in a business "transaction" it is inexcusable. I am NOT offended. I am let down.

I got a letter today thanking me for playing along with it, and offering me a proper link. Not enough "I'm sorry" in that letter to make this right for me.


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## thereus (Oct 17, 2017)

This thread is absolutely hilarious.


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## MarcelM (Oct 17, 2017)

tbh this thing annoyed me. i also took the time and wrote back, i mean errors can happen,right? in the end i somehow feel fooled and dumb, and a company shouldnt play around with me.

that said i wont buy anything from them in the near future and hope for a good black friday sale from orchestral tools instead.


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## rottoy (Oct 17, 2017)

Heroix said:


> that said i wont buy anything from them in the near future and hope for a good black friday sale from orchestral tools instead.


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

thereus said:


> This thread is absolutely hilarious.



What a tragic sense of humour. 

-DJ


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## NoamL (Oct 17, 2017)

Agree with @Daniel James @Vastman and @Welldone. No real harm done by this stunt but they took advantage of the goodwill of their customers and made me feel silly for rushing to email CH that he goofed. I don't know why they can't adopt the example of Cinematic Studio, Performance Samples or Musical Sampling. Hearing about a new product 1 or 2 weeks before release is welcome. But what really convinces me to buy a library is a clear walkthrough with not much talking, hearing the library in isolation, and taking a good look at the Kontakt GUI and piano roll. Is Spitfire really so starved for oxygen and attention in a sea of competitors that they need to pull a stunt taking advantage of their large mailing list? The last time they released an Albion the commercial thread was 20 pages long within days. Nobody is sleeping on Spitfire's products.


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## South Thames (Oct 17, 2017)

Newbie here — and I’ll put myself into the camp of people not put out by the email (it was actually the initial post on here that led me to check my junk), but I can understand why some people were, particularly if you went to the trouble of (helpfully) responding. 

Seems very much Christian’s idea and I guess, as the most prominent face of Spitfire through the vlogs and other interactions (which I am generally a big fan of), I can kind of understand how the customer/company lines might begin to be blurred from his side. My guess is they’ll learn from the misjudgement/mistake — not worth p-ssing off even a small percent of customers, even if most were bemused or amused by it. 

My main feeling on the actual thing the email was flogging is it just seems more feathery string patches. They're handy but there’s a lot of this of this sort of thing among Spitfire offerings already. Hoping the actual product (whatever it is) contains more than this. 

Tim


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> I can't wait for someone to pick apart the Hybrid Two business model, that should be fun or maybe you have a another motive here ?



Lol as I mentioned in the current H2 thread... I am the H2 business model. I dont pretend to be anything else, I am honest to who I am publicly and if you met me in person you would see I am who I am. I praise things when they are good and I have a go at things I think are bad. As you notice I don't just state an opinion and run from the debate like some, I will always hang around to explain my point. If I say something I will defend it, as we all should.

Now the H2 model may not be great for business but its honest. I will always let me work live and die on its own merit.

So yeah no hidden agenda, if you actually gave a fuck you would see I actually love Spitfires stuff, I am just calling out this stunt for what it is and explaining why I feel so strongly about it. But please do feel free to break me down if you wish....just make damn sure you bring some fucking strong arguments, because if there is one thing I hate its people saying shit without substance.

-DJ


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## Hannes_F (Oct 17, 2017)

I immediately thought it was their new marketing scheme and they were plugging a demo patch. So I clicked.

Noticed that it was an individual link.

I did not receive a follow-up mail. Does that mean Spitfire now thinks I am interested in pirated stuff? I am not.


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## Quasar (Oct 17, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> ... My friends can play practical jokes on me, my family can play practical jokes on me...its rude to assume you fit into one of these categories simply because you sell me things...
> -DJ



This is a sentiment I completely empathize with. Because of the instantaneity of 21st century communications tech, we're seeing the emergence of styles of advertising that use - much more than ever before possible - the trappings of faux-friendship and familiarity to generate sales.

Me, I very much dislike the imposed presumptions of personal relationships that exist in reality only to augment the commercial aspect. It's why I told Sweetwater a while back that I would only shop at their store if they "unassigned" me from the "good buddy" customer rep they had me hooked up to. And it was nothing against the Sweetwater guy whatsoever. He's probably a great person, and we may well have become great friends if we met under different circumstances. But if the bottom line is we only communicate because they want to sell things to me or because I want to buy things from them, then the relationship is essentially commercial, and this should be honestly recognized as such, even though it's of course preferable to be friendly and pleasant in the way we go about it.


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## Kyle Preston (Oct 17, 2017)

(Not here to take swing Daniel) I’m genuinely trying to understand the frustration with this email.

If memory serves, I heard CH say in an interview once that Spitfire treats both the release and recording of a new sample library the same way a music artist treats an album. In any case, you can tell they do this from their website and how their libraries are laid out in an album-style format.

Nine Inch Nails released _Year Zero_ by leaving random hard drives in bathroom stalls at their shows. Prince released _Planet Earth_ by giving it away in the Sunday newspaper. Radiohead asked fans to pay what they like for _In Rainbows_. This SF email (to me) just feels like a continuation of the same kind artist-style marketing.

Maybe it’s simply a difference of taste but I can’t understand why it’s so upsetting to people.


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## thereus (Oct 17, 2017)

Warning. Spending too much time in a darkened room listening to strange noises can cause permanent damage to the subject’s sense of humour and degrade all sense of proportion.


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## John Busby (Oct 17, 2017)

Quasar said:


> a while back that I would only shop at their store if they "unassigned" me from the "good buddy" customer rep they had me hooked up to. And it was nothing against the Sweetwater guy whatsoever. He's probably a great person, and we may well have become great friends if we met under different circumstances. But if the bottom line is we only communicate because they want to sell things to me or because I want to buy things from them, then the relationship is essentially commercial, and this should be honestly recognized as such, even though it's of course preferable to be friendly and pleasant in the way we go about it.


I'm one of those that actually love the way Sweetwater handles their customer relations.
Spending money is a scary thing sometimes but should also be pleasant and having someone relate to you on a personal level to me trumps having to deal with a cold commercial machine, but that's just me

edit: it's dangerous putting "trump" in a sentence these days lol


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

Kyle Preston said:


> (Not here to take swing Daniel) I’m genuinely trying to understand the frustration with this email.
> 
> If memory serves, I heard CH say in an interview once that Spitfire treats both the release and recording of a new sample library the same way a music artist treats an album. In any case, you can tell they do this from their website and how their libraries are laid out in an album-style format.
> 
> ...



The sentiment I have seen and with which I agree with is that the way in which this email was designed felt like a practical joke, designed to have us feel as though we received something in error. Many people rightfully stopped what they were doing and took the time to try and let SF know of the mistake only to have it transpire that it was all a marketing ploy. For me it crossed into a personal space I never invited spitfire into, like I said earlier my friends and family can play jokes on me and I found it rude and unprofessional to assume you fit in one of those categories because you sell me shit.

Like I mentioned if they had approached it straight up and maintained that professional company image that they put forward and maintained the customer company boundaries this would be a non issue. I would have actually been stoked that they are giving me a teaser of this new library. But they crossed a line into something more personal than I was prepared to allow them. Again like some have mentioned you may be fine with people jumping into your personal space and assuming how they can act around you. I am of the feeling that only I get to choose who my friends are and who can interact with me in these personable ways, anyone who assumes my friendship and respect without me giving it to them gets sent straight to the spam folder....in both email and life.

-DJ


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## NoamL (Oct 17, 2017)

South Thames said:


> My main feeling on the actual thing the email was flogging is it just seems more feathery string patches. They're handy but there’s a lot of this of this sort of thing among Spitfire offerings already.



Indeed ^

They have 4 evos and 5 albions now plus the Olafur toolkit and some other libraries I'm probably forgetting.

More wind and brass oriented evos like in Tundra would be very welcome...




synthpunk said:


> If your a big fan why not write Christian or Paul about it directly?
> 
> Maybe its time to go work on Project Chaos now, it was announced almost a year ago right ? Did you honestly tell your customers it would be a year in development ?



Wow, Who cares man? Did you kickstarter or preorder it? He has no obligation to release it until he thinks it's ready which is the best way to do things. You saying "hey what about hybrid twos biz practices" is so out of left field. This thread reeks of people leaping to defend Spitfire Can Do No Wrong. Even when the other side is just people saying "yes it was a relatively harmless prank but please don't do stuff like that in the future."


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## Erick - BVA (Oct 17, 2017)

Kyle Preston said:


> (Not here to take swing Daniel) I’m genuinely trying to understand the frustration with this email.
> 
> If memory serves, I heard CH say in an interview once that Spitfire treats both the release and recording of a new sample library the same way a music artist treats an album. In any case, you can tell they do this from their website and how their libraries are laid out in an album-style format.
> 
> ...



Don't get me wrong, I'm not quite in the direction of feeling the way Daniel James did about it, but it did seem to have crossed a certain barrier. Not necessarily bad though. I think it's good to have a sense of humor. I just don't think your examples fits with what happened. Regardless of whether it was genuine or not (Christian maintains he was just too excited to contain himself), it is difficult to see how it was anything but just a way to hype the upcoming release...kind of taking the "any publicity is good publicity" approach. But, I would like to assume it was genuine and spontaneous and not just some marketing ploy.


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## Quasar (Oct 17, 2017)

johnbusbymusic said:


> I'm one of those that actually love the way Sweetwater handles their customer relations.
> Spending money is a scary thing sometimes but should also be pleasant and having someone relate to you on a personal level to me trumps having to deal with a cold commercial machine, but that's just me
> 
> edit: it's dangerous putting "trump" in a sentence these days lol



And I have no issue with the way Sweetwater does it either, as long as I can opt out, which they kindly let me do. I realize a lot of people like their approach, which is fine...

But yeah, you should probably say "has priority over" or something instead of using the "T" word. LOL.


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## JonSolo (Oct 17, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> For me it crossed into a personal space I never invited spitfire into-DJ



This. With the amount of spam and phishing, among other things, it is hard to know what you are getting. Like I said, today's email would have sufficed, and honestly would have gotten great hype, without this type of negative feedback.

What is perhaps more interesting is their failure to engage us here. Hipsters don't make good business persons.

The argument that they approached it like at artist...yep you are correct. When we invite artists in, we know what we are getting into. When I invited Spitfire, I thought I was getting into a professional business service relationship.

I am their client, not their buddy. If they want me to be their buddy, they can send me libraries pro bono, and I will send them my music back the same way.


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

Guys, no need to get personal, I think. As to more than a few things in life: people simply reacted to this mail in a multitude of ways. Good arguments from all sides, and in the end Spitfire still makes terrific libraries (and has one of the best helpdesks, while we're at it...) and making music is still one of the best ways to spend your life. 
Anyway, all these arguments against these prank got me thinking why I was not offended by it. I usually detest any unasked for commercial intrusion in my life, especially when addressed to as 'friend'. To me, this mail is not of the same variety. Its two guys sharing their enthousiasm, not directly at me. I never felt my space was intruded, so I thought it was a clever joke. I understand why some people could not appreciate it though, we all look at the world with different eyes. 
It's probably best to write a song about this. Who's first?


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> Sure, Did you see the question about sending Christian or Paul a message with your concerns ?
> 
> Are there other developers who cross the conflict of interst line and criticize other developers like you do ? I do not seem to recall any. Maybe the YouTube hits have dried up?


Ah come on... so you disagree with Daniel. Still no need to question his motives, especially not in this tone. He just stated and explained his opinion. You're arguing the man, not the topic.


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

*<<Quoted content deleted>>*

Please... both of you! *<<Mod note: Agreed.>>*


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## sazema (Oct 17, 2017)

... "The mountain was shaking, the mouse was born"


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## Mike Greene (Oct 17, 2017)

I'm deleting some of those posts where tempers are getting a bit out of control. Please take a breath before posting. Thanks.


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## jcrosby (Oct 17, 2017)

This was a dodgy marketing move. As others pointed out, sending something like this without an opt out is just a $hit thing to do... It's frat boy marketing, email *click-bait..*. It's also a really good way to turn customers away.

These are the kinds of stupid decisions companies make when they start letting outside money in... This has the smell of a marketing team all over it and it kinda stinks


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## thereus (Oct 17, 2017)

jcrosby said:


> This was a dodgy marketing move. As others pointed out, sending something like this without an opt out is just a $hit thing to do... It's frat boy marketing, email *click-bait..*. It's also a really good way to turn customers away.
> 
> These are the kinds of stupid decisions companies make when they start letting outside money in... This has the smell of a marketing team all over it and it kinda stinks



To be fair, it did have an opt-out footer as all email marketing should.


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## robh (Oct 17, 2017)

As a marketing ploy, it failed for me.
Since it looked like it wasn't for me, I deleted it pretty much immediately. And second, I'm a bit cautiously paranoid about clicking links I don't recognize from sources I don't recognize, so I definitely wasn't going to try.

So yeah, I didn't get the joke. 

Rob


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## pixel (Oct 17, 2017)

imo you exaggerate this topic to a ridiculous level. It was just e-mail. simple e-mail. let me repeat: e-mail. How you can feel so much offended by single, let me repeat: e-mail?  I wonder when someone here will tell that is going to open case in court because this e-mail ruined his life. You ready don't have not even a bit (1 inch) of distance to life? 

I can't believe that mature people can feel offended by e-mail to this level


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## Raphioli (Oct 17, 2017)

StillLife said:


> Ah come on... so you disagree with Daniel. Still no need to question his motives, especially not in this tone. He just stated and explained his opinion. You're arguing the man, not the topic.


I have to agree.
No need to be rude just because someone has a different opinion.
He was just trying to state his opinion constructively, like most of us are doing here.

I was expecting different people would take this differently.
I've read through various posts that share and also do not share the same opinion as me.
And I understand where the people are coming from whom took this unpleasantly. ("Understanding" and "Agreeing" are different btw)

At the end of the day, if everyone share the same opinion about every existing topic, it would be a hella boring world.
"At least for me!" =)


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## Johann F. (Oct 17, 2017)

Some harsh words exchanged here... I guess you were right, @christianhenson , indeed the community went mental.


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

Are people really burned over this? I admit, I was rubbed at them posting footage of LCO members performing and holding off in a walk through until the 11th hour of the intro price (we weren't buying the LCO, just chopped up snippets of them playing a dozen ways). I figured it would have been obvious after just reading it what it actually was. It just looked too clean and deliberate to be anything else. But hey. It's SF. They've got incredible products and can get away with having fun and rubbing people the wrong way occasionally. Compared to East West, Waves, Acustica, etc. this is nothing.


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## erica-grace (Oct 17, 2017)

pixel said:


> I can't believe that mature people can feel offended by e-mail to this level



I can't believe that this thread has grown to twelve pages in just over one day. I think that says a lot about this forum.


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> Are people really burned over this?



12 Pages of which every single one consists of someone saying how they felt burned over this and yet you still ask! let me answer for you...Yes, yes they do. I have explained multiple times why I feel that way, to people who keep asking why. As I explained this campaign rubbed me the wrong way but I am not nearly as mad as the amount of times I have repeated the same thing would suggest. Yet people keep asking why we reacted the way we have. Read one of the many posts beforehand that explains exactly what people keep asking then maybe we wont have to keep going round in circles. Like so:

"This rubbed me the wrong way" - "Wow are people really rubbed the wrong way" - "Yes here is why" - "Wow why are people complaining" - "I already said why but because..." - "It didnt bother me, why are people so mad" - "I already said but because...." - "HybridTwo Sucks" - "Fuck you" - "Im deleting comments" - "Wow people seem mad, why?" - "I already said why but because....." - "Jeeze a lot of hostility here, Why are people so mad" - "I already said but because....." - "This is really funny, I don't get why people don't like it" - "I already said why but its because" etc etc etc.

Some people really didn't like it, and have explained AT LENGTH why. Not really much point keep asking why or acting surprised. Just read the fucking thread 

-DJ


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

I'm being facetious this time instead of sarcastic. I can SEE that they are. I just don't understand why. I don't think it's a big deal.


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## tmhuud (Oct 17, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> 12 Pages of which every single one consists of someone saying how they felt burned over this and yet you still ask! let me answer for you...Yes, yes they do. I have explained multiple times why I feel that way, to people who keep asking why. As I explained this campaign rubbed me the wrong way but I am not nearly as mad as the amount of times I have repeated the same thing would suggest. Yet people keep asking why we reacted the way we have. Read one of the many posts beforehand that explains exactly what people keep asking then maybe we wont have to keep going round in circles. Like so:
> 
> "This rubbed me the wrong way" - "Wow are people really rubbed the wrong way" - "Yes here is why" - "Wow why are people complaining" - "I already said why but because..." - "It didnt bother me, why are people so mad" - "I already said but because...." - "HybridTwo Sucks" - "Fuck you" - "Im deleting comments" - "Wow people seem mad, why?" - "I already said why but because....." - "Jeeze a lot of hostility here, Why are people so mad" - "I already said but because....." - "This is really funny, I don't get why people don't like it" - "I already said why but its because" etc etc etc.
> 
> ...


This.


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> I can SEE that they are. I just don't understand why. I don't think it's a big deal.



For fucks sake!!!. And we do think its a big deal and heres why.....(we can do this all day)

-DJ


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

It's not a big deal, dude. Chill, bro.


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## Fleer (Oct 17, 2017)

The dude abides.


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## JonSolo (Oct 17, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> It's not a big deal, dude. Chill, bro.


That is why this thread is 12 pages. That is your view of the matter. But others would disagree. And in the history of mankind, when has telling someone to "chill" had the genuine desired effect? It is antagonistic and you know it.

This thread will end when everyone respects everyone else's opinion...thus never.

Either way I am out of it now. No matter how you slice it, that email had bad ramifications. Look at the last 12 pages of arguments, tempers, deletions, etc. back and forth. Bad. Bad. Bad.

Out.


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## InLight-Tone (Oct 17, 2017)

Vastman said:


> To be quite honest I think this is a cheesy stupid move...stirring up the community, causing concern and wasting the time of some, practicing a deceptive tactic, and...then throwing in a supposedly free soundfield cloaked in the possibility that if I open it I might be stealing, peering I to someone's private life or opening an identity theft/hacked unscrupulous poisoned file... ransomware or who knows what
> 
> Email fraud, identity theft, spoofing/ransom ware piggybacking on top of seemingly legitimate files (especially after the recent purported break in Christian mentioned in his Vblogging) and such things are REAL and a serious problem these days...
> 
> ...


But, but, how much precious time did you waste responding to all of this???


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## jcrosby (Oct 17, 2017)

thereus said:


> To be fair, it did have an opt-out footer as all email marketing should.


I didn't even notice, so apparently it was somewhat successful in passing itself off as a botched email. Fair enough though, I'll retract that part...
But sticking to my guns about it being a greasy marketing tactic. Just makes me want to take a shower when I look at Albion.


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## Jaap (Oct 17, 2017)

This kind of marketing makes me realise that I am not being targetted anymore as a businessmen with tools for his craft, but that this is marketing for end of the line commercial business (like you would market cars, tv etc).


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

Jaap said:


> This kind of marketing makes me realise that I am not being targetted anymore as a businessmen with tools for his craft, but that this is marketing for end of the line commercial business (like you would market cars, tv etc).


I think companies like Spitfire strive because their products appeal to more people than just the professional composers. There are a LOT of aspiring HZ's out there, enthousiastic hobbyists, happy homerecorders and Spitfire products enable them to imagine they live their dream. In todays world, at least in the more well off places of this world, the market for quality products is much larger than in times when only the professional craftsmen could justify purchasing them. While that may lure companies into more consumer directed marketing strategies, it also increases their revenues, which may have a positive effect on the quality of their products and services - if the company itself has any quality, that is.


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## NoamL (Oct 17, 2017)

Indeed @Jaap, it's been like that for a while. Libraries marketed as toys ("it'll make you happy") not tools ("it'll make your client happy").


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## StillLife (Oct 17, 2017)

NoamL said:


> Indeed @Jaap, it's been like that for a while. Libraries marketed as toys ("it'll make you happy") not tools ("it'll make your client happy").


That's because many Spitfire (and other companies') customers don't have clients.
And even when they have: wouldn't you rather buy from happy professionals that enjoy their own products, had fun in making them (I am a romanticist, I know...)?


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 17, 2017)

JonSolo said:


> That is why this thread is 12 pages. That is your view of the matter. But others would disagree. And in the history of mankind, when has telling someone to "chill" had the genuine desired effect? It is antagonistic and you know it.
> 
> This thread will end when everyone respects everyone else's opinion...thus never.
> 
> ...



I could care less if he or anyone actually chills. If he's rubbed, fine; can't really understand why though. Is it bc he just figured out that he's been marketed to and not only that but as a consumer and not a professional? Newsflash...that's been going on for a long, long time now. Every library/plugin/daw company has been doing that since they realized there is money in the hobbiest market. But honestly, who cares? Just look past it like all of us do anyway. We all have a dozen string section and/or string ensemble libraries. Just add them to the template; it's all one library. If there are some patches that come in handy it layer nicely here and there it's worth it. From the youtube videos I see, hobbiests mostly will buy a library marketed as something and think that that library alone is getting them there (to the sound that the library is named after). It seems like pros will just use anything new and old and make it work. I say keep it all coming. Market away, whatever. It's the walkthrough that counts anyway.


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## Daniel James (Oct 17, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> I could care less if he or anyone actually chills. If he's rubbed, fine; can't really understand why though.



By this point I get the feeling you are just trying to get a rise out of people now. And if you honestly can't understand why people are annoyed after the countless posts of people saying exactly why it rubbed them the wrong way then that says more about you than it does about those rubbed.

You can disagree, thats totally fine, then thats the end of it. But if you still can't understand after 12 pages mate then I guess you never will.

You are trying to shift the direction at the end of your post too. No one is doubting Spitfires ability to make great libraries. This whole thread is about a particular marketing stunt and how it reflects of the SF marketing strategy in general. I would say I am surprised you didn't realise it, but then, as we discovered above if you still can't understand why people are mad after being told exactly why people are mad..... over and over and over, you might not be the sharpest tool in the shed 

-DJ


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## acomposer (Oct 17, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> 12 Pages of which every single one consists of someone saying how they felt burned over this and yet you still ask! let me answer for you...Yes, yes they do. I have explained multiple times why I feel that way, to people who keep asking why. As I explained this campaign rubbed me the wrong way but I am not nearly as mad as the amount of times I have repeated the same thing would suggest. Yet people keep asking why we reacted the way we have. Read one of the many posts beforehand that explains exactly what people keep asking then maybe we wont have to keep going round in circles. Like so:
> 
> "This rubbed me the wrong way" - "Wow are people really rubbed the wrong way" - "Yes here is why" - "Wow why are people complaining" - "I already said why but because..." - "It didnt bother me, why are people so mad" - "I already said but because...." - "HybridTwo Sucks" - "Fuck you" - "Im deleting comments" - "Wow people seem mad, why?" - "I already said why but because....." - "Jeeze a lot of hostility here, Why are people so mad" - "I already said but because....." - "This is really funny, I don't get why people don't like it" - "I already said why but its because" etc etc etc.
> 
> ...



hi there - first post here and just felt i had to comment on all this as i have to have been inadvertendly affected

so yeah i have to agree with dans comments - basically i got up yesterday and the first thing i had to do was take our dog to the local vest because of one of her paws is ingrown which is coarsing some not minor discomfort - but then i checked the email just as i would normally and whooa! whats this i thought inititally? first of all though my first thought was why is someone from spitfire emailing me as i only ever subcribe to there mailing list and dont even own there product - so imediately i think i am in the mist of some private email convo - ok i thought i dont even wanna be even going there as i felt i was literally to intrusive - however, you still could not of ignored the fact that here right in front of you was a link to some pathces - at the end of the day a link is a link so it only human nature to click on it yes? so i spent at least 15-20 minutes reading and then rereading between the lines on the email convo really going through some internal angst as to weather i should a) actually be even reading this but moreover should i b) go that extra mile and click on the link? my first thought was that this could of even been a trojan or worse even a virus or something - but anyway, like most of you others i guess we all surcumbed to temptation in the end and clicked - please bear in mind that by this time i am maybe 25 mins in to the whole debacle and anyway i clicked downloaded but then **problem !! ** - so it seemed that in order to get this patch to work you have to have kontakt? my first thought was this literally cant be true but then i tried running it as a standalone and nada - nothing !!! not even a sound - i mean did they even mention that? i dont even have kontakt and so i was somewhat put out that after all this rig morale i have wasted all these time on a product i cannot even run ! - make no mistake i will be emailing them to make clear the fact that i will be complaining in no uncretain terms - but the worse thing of all and why i am really annoyed is that because of all this distraction i missed the vets appointmnet and now the dog is not happy either and i have to reschedule her and of course i will have to pay for the missed appointment

i think spitfire should take a long hard look at themselves and realise how irrseponsible it is to give out free stuff no matter how good it is


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## thesteelydane (Oct 17, 2017)

I'm sorry, but its not really Spitfire´s fault that you value free stuff over your responsibilities and the health of your dog, now is it?


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## acomposer (Oct 18, 2017)

thesteelydane said:


> I'm sorry, but its not really Spitfire´s fault that you value free stuff over your responsibilities and the health of your dog, now is it?



You have a point - will you except my sincerest apologies

we just now literally cut the paw nails ourselfs using a you tube dog grooming guide and i think she is alot happier for it (and it saved us $43.50) so maybe it wasnt a bad thing after all

have a good day!


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## JPComposer (Oct 18, 2017)

.


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## jononotbono (Oct 18, 2017)

JPComposer said:


> .



Cue CH posting a Selfie of him and Oscar winking.


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## givemenoughrope (Oct 18, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> By this point I get the feeling you are just trying to get a rise out of people now. And if you honestly can't understand why people are annoyed after the countless posts of people saying exactly why it rubbed them the wrong way then that says more about you than it does about those rubbed.
> 
> You can disagree, thats totally fine, then thats the end of it. But if you still can't understand after 12 pages mate then I guess you never will.
> 
> ...



Well, I don't need to get a rise out of you. I'll leave that to email marketing. And I'm sharp enough to understand that you can't stand it when people don't agree with you in the exact way that is acceptable to you and then have to resort to lame insults (at least fling a decent one, cmon). Your logic is that I CAN disagree but I'm not allow to question why. Ok. It was a goofy marketing email (or something). SO WHAT? You get a dozen of those a day I'm sure. I don't see how this is so different. Am I annoyed at being marketed to in a backhanded way? Well, it's a bit like getting annoyed at traffic on the 101. Either take Fountain (really Willoughby) or just get over it. It's just part of the deal. Spitfire made a library with an expensive marketing video where CH walks around in the snow and talks about Arvo Part. Remember the promo vids made for Cinesamples percussion? Or 8dios "the laaaargest collection of x ever made." This SAME $#%+ has been going on for ages in one form or another. It's marketing! It's just funny to me that THIS one pisses everyone off. You are certainly entitled to your opinion though.


----------



## jononotbono (Oct 18, 2017)

Who didn’t download the patch (until it was made public it was an intentional share)? How honest of us! I’m starting to think it was a test by SA and we should get a free copy of the finished library for being so wholesome. I know, I know, “keep dreaming Jono”! Haha!


----------



## Hannes_F (Oct 18, 2017)

JonSolo said:


> This thread will end when everyone respects everyone else's opinion...thus never.



LOL that made my day, thanks. :-D


----------



## jcrosby (Oct 18, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> It was a goofy marketing email (or something). SO WHAT?


 I get a nauseating amount of marketing emails from developers.
The number of companies that send me a spoof email resembling a Nigerian scam?
I can count them on one hand.
It's just greasy. And doesn't seem to be doing them any favors either...

(Awaiting SF Russian-email-hack PR stunt.)


----------



## J-M (Oct 18, 2017)

jononotbono said:


> Who didn’t download the patch (until it was made public it was an intentional share)? How honest of us! I’m starting to think it was a test by SA and we should get a free copy of the finished library for being so wholesome. I know, I know, “keep dreaming Jono”! Haha!



I didn't download the patch. When the new library is released, I expect to find it in my Spitfire account. I accept Albion V as well.


----------



## Vischebaste (Oct 18, 2017)

Although I didn't find the email particularly offensive, its whole faux "glimpse behind the scenes" conceit did confirm my suspicion that Spitfire is endlessly fascinated with itself and seems to believe that we all are too.


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## StillLife (Oct 18, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> Well, I don't need to get a rise out of you. I'll leave that to email marketing. And I'm sharp enough to understand that you can't stand it when people don't agree with you in the exact way that is acceptable to you and then have to resort to lame insults (at least fling a decent one, cmon). Your logic is that I CAN disagree but I'm not allow to question why. Ok. It was a goofy marketing email (or something). SO WHAT? You get a dozen of those a day I'm sure. I don't see how this is so different. Am I annoyed at being marketed to in a backhanded way? Well, it's a bit like getting annoyed at traffic on the 101. Either take Fountain (really Willoughby) or just get over it. It's just part of the deal. Spitfire made a library with an expensive marketing video where CH walks around in the snow and talks about Arvo Part. Remember the promo vids made for Cinesamples percussion? Or 8dios "the laaaargest collection of x ever made." This SAME $#%+ has been going on for ages in one form or another. It's marketing! It's just funny to me that THIS one pisses everyone off. You are certainly entitled to your opinion though.


While I am in your boat - as in being not at all offended by 'the' mail - I do think there are two kinds of 'why':
1) Hey, that is interesting / strange / out of my box-behaviour/thinking. Please tell me why you act/think that way, so I can learn a new perspective.
2) This is behaviour/thinking I cannot get my mind around. Why would you think/act that way? I know I would never.

I honestly think DJ has answered the first why and is upset because he classifies your 'why' as of the second variety. And maybe DJ's actual arguments (his answer to the first kind of why) got backgrounded for you because of the insults that he rounded them of with - which in turn might have sparked out of him getting worked up about getting asked the second kind of why a bit too much (in his eyes)?
But I could be wrong, of course.


----------



## givemenoughrope (Oct 18, 2017)

jcrosby said:


> (Awaiting SF Russian-email-hack PR stunt.)



Can't wait! Let them know my SS# is 102-85-2149, my mother's maiden name is McBride and my first pet was named Frank.


----------



## Daniel James (Oct 18, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> Well, I don't need to get a rise out of you. I'll leave that to email marketing.



Surely meant as a _witty _quip, but actually accurate. It did indeed get a rise out of me. As we have discussed many times.... but which you seem to either be incapable of reading or understanding....which also gets a rise out of me...I have a low tolerance for intentional ignorance.



givemenoughrope said:


> Your logic is that I CAN disagree but I'm not allow to question why



No you are absolutely allowed to disagree AND are allowed to question why. But when you have had the _why_ explained over and over again over 12 pages, and then still ask why makes it look like you are either trolling or are genuinely slow.



givemenoughrope said:


> Ok. It was a goofy marketing email (or something). SO WHAT?



I have explained this before but....you know what fuck it go read a response one of the other 12 pages. Its answered there.



givemenoughrope said:


> Am I annoyed at being marketed to in a backhanded way? Well, it's a bit like getting annoyed at traffic on the 101.



Not quite, its closer to being stuck in traffic then one of the other people in traffic gets in your car and starts trying to banter with you. Assuming its ok because you are both stuck on the road together.

Marketing is a finicky business sure, but as stated more than enough times, for some people, branching out in these ways which to some is seen as tacky 'oooops I didn't mean to do this' stunts and to some which see it as a as a breach of customer company relationship it was a bad strategy. If you were fine with it the good for you! but its also just as true that some people really didn't like it...whether you pretend to understand that or not. Thats what one side of this whole thread is about. Nothing to do with their ability to make great libraries...just the poor way some people think they are trying to flog them.

-DJ


----------



## givemenoughrope (Oct 18, 2017)

Thanks for clearing that up for me, DJ.


----------



## Daniel James (Oct 18, 2017)

givemenoughrope said:


> Thanks for clearing that up for me, DJ.



It's all good mate. 

-DJ


----------



## Emmanuel Rousseau (Oct 18, 2017)

Sorry to dig out the oldest meme on earth but...
Well, this is my gift to you.


----------



## N.Caffrey (Oct 18, 2017)

whitewasteland said:


> Sorry to dig out the oldest meme on earth but...
> Well, this is my gift to you.


that's hilarious haha


----------



## Geoff Grace (Oct 18, 2017)

So how about those Dodgers? Just one victory away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 1988!

Best,

Geoff


----------



## Hat_Tricky (Oct 18, 2017)

How about those Pittsburgh Penguins? What an awful turnover by McDonugh in OT. Malkin makes no mistake. Game over people.


----------



## jcrosby (Oct 18, 2017)

How about those London Spitfires? They were hit a number of home runs. Bottom of the ninth and they threw a dreadful pitch.


----------



## AdamKmusic (Oct 18, 2017)

Damn this thread, can see why Chrisitian left VI and Paul rarely comes on here.


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Oct 18, 2017)

How does an email reply mistake turn into a 14-page thread?! You guys are crazy. But I still love ya.


----------



## Daniel James (Oct 18, 2017)

AdamKmusic said:


> Damn this thread, can see why Chrisitian left VI and Paul rarely comes on here.



I actually think its a shame they left. The both have great perspectives to share and while quite a few of the post here got a bit heated there were no points made that did not have merit, on both sides of the debate.

Of course if you don't deal well with critisism, then a public forum probably wont be a happy place for you.

I have never seen any comments or statements here that have translated to Christian/Paul is a cunt...or anything personal at all. Its usually a problem or beef with a SF product or like this thread, spesific marketing/support opinions. I personally think If they want to interact with the community as individuals (this email stunt being a good example) then it would be good to defend that as individuals....but instead we just get the blanket Spitfire account which feels like a real seperation with them. As I mentioned I think they should decide what they want to be either a company or individuals. It really is confusing to be spoken to by individuals and then they disappear and we are left to talk to a faceless support member when we want to discuss.

-DJ


----------



## mac (Oct 18, 2017)

There's arguably never been a company like Spitfire in this field, and like all of us, they're figuring things out as they go along. We all make 'bad' choices in life, and I'm sure they've seen this thread and took it on board. Now, I've got to go reply to an email that's just come in from an African prince that needs to deposit £2,000,000 in my account...


----------



## FinGael (Oct 18, 2017)

pixel said:


> imo you exaggerate this topic to a ridiculous level. It was just e-mail. simple e-mail. let me repeat: e-mail. How you can feel so much offended by single, let me repeat: e-mail?  I wonder when someone here will tell that is going to open case in court because this e-mail ruined his life. You ready don't have not even a bit (1 inch) of distance to life?
> 
> I can't believe that mature people can feel offended by e-mail to this level



It can be seen as exaggerating, or alternatively seen as setting the guidelines; what is and what is not acceptable from the users/community point of view. We could easily get into a situation where there are a dozen or more smaller sample library companies making "innovative email marketing", to become the next Spitfire, and one real scam email by someone else amongst them with a link to some virus...

For me the email wasn't that big of a thing, but I still see this way of marketing parasitic in nature, and thus it is something that I will not support.

It can be seen in the outcome; the email was misleading (many thought that it was a mistake and emailed SA), all of this has taken a lot of time and energy of many (busy) people and created arguing to a point where moderator made the decision to step in. My heart says that the total outcome is worse than the situation in the point before this happened. Unless this experience somehow is being put into good use for the best of the community. Hopefully for Spitfire too, so they can make good marketing in the future, in ways that do not make people irritated and doesn't make them unsubscribe from their mailing list.

I do not encourage fighting with anyone, but this world will go all crazy if we do not express what we feel is right and wrong for us. It can be done in a way that respects other views and opinions.

That's about it for me. Have a good day, everyone.


----------



## MarcelM (Oct 18, 2017)

mac said:


> There's arguably never been a company like Spitfire in this field, and like all of us, they're figuring things out as they go along. We all make 'bad' choices in life, and I'm sure they've seen this thread and took it on board. Now, I've got to go reply to an email that's just come in from an African prince that needs to deposit £2,000,000 in my account...



i dont agree. have you ever got something like this from the cinematic series, cinesamples or orchestral tools? i didnt!
the marketing from spitfire audio is just bad and nothing else.

also some people like all those teasers but iam not a little child to play with. i prefer when a company just releases a killer library, and thats what most companys do. without any weird emails, teasers etc.


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## nordicguy (Oct 18, 2017)

mac said:


> ...Now, I've got to go reply to an email that's just come in from an African prince that needs to deposit £2,000,000 in my account...


Worst support ever.
Still waiting for the money.


----------



## christianhenson (Oct 18, 2017)

I'm just disappointed that no one has shown concern for my bad back?



x


----------



## John Busby (Oct 18, 2017)

what concern?....Carol hooked you up! lol


----------



## Uncle Peter (Oct 18, 2017)

I didn't like it either. When you take the time out to 'help' someone who you think may have done something in error - just to receive a marketing email template.

But at the end of the day - if you don't like it, just unsubscribe and get on with your life.


----------



## NYC Composer (Oct 18, 2017)

I'm just disappointed that you haven't offered the tiniest of apologies, or at least a little acknowledgement, to those who were put off by this little stunt.

(And I hope the bit about your back was just part of the "fun.")


----------



## thereus (Oct 18, 2017)

Spitfire’s next sample library: Sounds of water. Vi-control’s next sample library: sounds of hand-wringing.


----------



## FinGael (Oct 18, 2017)

christianhenson said:


> I'm just disappointed that no one has shown concern for my bad back?
> 
> 
> 
> x



Approximately nine out of ten studio wizards suffer from it all the time (inspite of game changing ergonomic solutions) - so it actually isn't that newsworthy ;P 

We could also have a thread about how to maintain that oh so beautiful white studio tan. I have a personal problem with it; it tends to wear out when I have to go out of the house once in a while. 

All the best to your back (you too, of course).


----------



## Tatu (Oct 18, 2017)

christianhenson said:


> I'm just disappointed that no one has shown concern for my bad back?
> 
> 
> 
> x


:D

Maybe because it was all part of this designed marketing thingy?


----------



## will_m (Oct 18, 2017)

acomposer said:


> but the worse thing of all and why i am really annoyed is that because of all this distraction i missed the vets appointmnet and now the dog is not happy either and i have to reschedule her and of course i will have to pay for the missed appointment
> 
> i think spitfire should take a long hard look at themselves and realise how irrseponsible it is to give out free stuff no matter how good it is



So your dog was in pain but you ignored it to investigate an email from a sample developer? Then you blame them for you missing an appointment?

I hope this is some brilliant satire, if not you might want to get your priorities in order.


----------



## mac (Oct 18, 2017)

nordicguy said:


> Worst support ever.
> Still waiting for the money.



Jesus, be patient! Do you realise how many bank transfers they'll have to process? Someone gives you £2 mil and still you're complaining.


----------



## procreative (Oct 18, 2017)

1. You can dislike a marketing technique without disliking the person or company. I dont like the endless daft teasers, but that does not mean I dislike the products (most of the time), but I dont subscribe to the any publicity is good publicity viral ethos.

2. The excitable dev getting chummy with their enthusiasm starts to feel a bit contrived. 

3. They are a business and while they like most Devs get excited about their new baby, they are there to make a living. Nothing wrong with that, but its like the car salesman who pretends he is your friend and "he has one of these at home".

I think some of the people round here behave like fans of some popstar that wont hear anything that says they are not the best thing ever. Its irrational.

No the email was not a crime against humanity. But many of us did not find the ruse that funny.

I find some of Spitfire's "gamechanger" statements as underwhelming as 8Dio's "deep, deep sampled, groundbreaking". 

I like the products, but dont like the attempted manipulation. It feels unnecessary to use these tricks if the products are that good.


----------



## Mihkel Zilmer (Oct 18, 2017)

I'd like to take a small break from talking about Spitfire and address something else that's bothering me about this thread. Opinions.

I live next to a Moroccan family. When Christmas time comes, I go down to the local Dutch butcher and order myself a liter of pig's blood, so that I can make some *delightfully tasty blood sausages* just like my grandma used to make back in my home country of Estonia. Now, my neighbours - being devout muslims - not only do they not subscribe to the idea of Christmas, they also find eating pork problematic, to put it mildly.

So there I am, happily cooking away while sipping on a nice cold beer, with half my kitchen counter covered in blood - making blood sausages can be bit messy... I don't invite my muslim neighbours around to join me, because I understand that more or less everything about what I am currently doing is, to a certain degree, offensive to them. I won't go ring their doorbell and say "How can you be offended??? It's just pig's blood, this is what I do every bloody Christmas - this is completely normal practice where I come from!!!"

I guess what I am getting at with my incredibly random rambling here is that everyone has things they find offensive. Maybe for one person the line is drawn at pig's blood, maybe for the next one it's marketing directly aimed at them, that makes certain assumptions about them and treats them in a certain way.

Whatever the trigger, the point is we've all got opinions. I like this, I don't like that. Where I think it gets really weird is when you try to force your opinion on others, especially if the argument you've got going is: *"Well, I like this, so how the hell can YOU not like it?" *

Alright, carry on with the hype! 

*PS* anyone who disagrees will have to sit down with me and eat blood sausages. I like them, so how can you not??


----------



## nordicguy (Oct 18, 2017)

mac said:


> Jesus, be patient! Do you realise how many bank transfers they'll have to process? Someone gives you £2 mil and still you're complaining.


Yah yah, I know.
Dawn, those pills to calm down I bought on the internet for next to nothing don't seem to help at all.
Hope this dream house I'v just won v'got a king size bed so I could rest a bit.
Note to myself, don't forget to send the money for house's Legal fees and related expenses.


----------



## Iskra (Oct 18, 2017)

Guys and gals,

I just looked over the thread a little: it's just an e-mail. I received hundreds a day at work, many of them I'm sure absolutely worse than Christian's (which I haven't received)
Seriously, it's just an e-mail.
If you don't like it, just ignore it and delete it with one click. If you really hate it beyond belief (the reason why I really can't imagine, but it's ok), just unsuscribe. It takes longer to complain in a harsh way in the forum than to delete it or unsuscribe.
This is on page 14. Really, can we _kumbaya_ already?


----------



## Kony (Oct 18, 2017)

Iskra said:


> Really, can we _kumbaya_ already?


But I haven't finished my popcorn yet....


----------



## FinGael (Oct 18, 2017)

Iskra said:


> Guys and gals,
> 
> I just looked over the thread a little: it's just an e-mail. I received hundreds a day at work, many of them I'm sure absolutely worse than Christian's (which I haven't received)
> Seriously, it's just an e-mail.
> ...



You are missing the point I wrote about in my earlier post: Spitfire as a big company in the field - a leading sample library manufacturer, or one of the leading ones, can be seen as a public figure, and what they do can affect a lot of many aspiring companies and their marketing choices. So it can be constructive to talk about what people feel like of this kind of marketing to avoid things getting totally out of hand.

It is like the influence of HZ; what he composes will be mimicked by thousands of aspiring composers. That's why all of them are now making Interstellar and Dunkirk -type of scores. 

We can still kumbaya... or more likely: see you later on page 67 of this thread


----------



## David Gosnell (Oct 18, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> you might not be the sharpest tool in the shed
> 
> -DJ



Be cautious Daniel, he may just be the sharpest troll in the shed!


----------



## Hat_Tricky (Oct 18, 2017)

Good Grief, Charlie Brown...


----------



## Quasar (Oct 18, 2017)

Geoff Grace said:


> So how about those Dodgers? Just one victory away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 1988!
> 
> Best,
> 
> Geoff


As a Cub fan, I wouldn't mind a leaked insider email from Joe Madden explaining why he chose to let Lackey face Justin Turner, along with a bit.ly link pointing them toward a relief pitcher who can find the strike zone when Yu Darvish is at the plate.


----------



## acomposer (Oct 18, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> Not quite, its closer to being stuck in traffic then one of the other people in traffic gets in your car and starts trying to banter with you. Assuming its ok because you are both stuck on the road together.



Or is it closer to being stuck in traffic and the guy in the next car has his window down and you can hear him talking to his friend about what they are having for dinner and then he just hands you a bottle of champagne with a cheeky grin, drives off and then you are annoyed because you hate the fact that a) he had his window down and b) worse still, you hate champagne. Moreover, on the way home you pop into Waitrose and tell as many of the staff there that will listen about this dude who pulled up next to you who had the temerity to a) have their window down and b) hand you a bottle of champagne.


----------



## pixel (Oct 18, 2017)

Mihkel Zilmer said:


> I'd like to take a small break from talking about Spitfire and address something else that's bothering me about this thread. Opinions.
> 
> I live next to a Moroccan family. When Christmas time comes, I go down to the local Dutch butcher and order myself a liter of pig's blood, so that I can make some *delightfully tasty blood sausages*


 (...)


Mihkel Zilmer said:


> *PS* anyone who disagrees will have to sit down with me and eat blood sausages. I like them, so how can you not??


Oh man I hate blood sausages!  Very popular in my family (like in whole Poland I guess). I'm avoiding them like a fire. I could never understand how people can eat them


----------



## mac (Oct 18, 2017)

pixel said:


> (...)
> Oh man I hate blood sausages!  Very popular in my family (like in whole Poland I guess). I'm avoiding them like a fire. I could never understand how people can eat them



I think that's the same stuff we call black pudding in the UK. Not a fan


----------



## Vischebaste (Oct 18, 2017)

acomposer said:


> Or is it closer to being stuck in traffic and the guy in the next car has his window down and you can hear him talking to his friend about what they are having for dinner and then he just hands you a bottle of champagne with a cheeky grin, drives off and then you are annoyed because you hate the fact that a) he had his window down and b) worse still, you hate champagne. Moreover, on the way home you pop into Waitrose and tell as many of the staff there that will listen about this dude who pulled up next to you who had the temerity to a) have their window down and b) hand you a bottle of champagne.



The more accurate analogy would be that the guy in the car has your home address and and parked outside your house to read through a script with his friend about what they're pretending they're having for dinner. He then drops a bottle of champagne out of the window which may or may not be drinkable and you spend the rest of the evening trying to track down his phone number to tell him that he's lost his champagne, only to find out that the whole thing was part of a hilarious candid camera skit.


----------



## David Gosnell (Oct 18, 2017)

Daniel James said:


> I actually think its a shame they left. The both have great perspectives to share and while quite a few of the post here got a bit heated there were no points made that did not have merit, on both sides of the debate.
> 
> Of course if you don't deal well with criticism, then a public forum probably wont be a happy place for you.
> 
> -DJ



You've managed to get through your whole life so far (OK, fair play, it's only half as long as mine!) without encountering the guy who wants to be everyone's mate, wants to be loved, wants to be admired, wants our respect - but has a teeny bit of an issue with criticism or negative feedback? They usually seem to end up as clients, but it is not unreasonable to believe the odd one slips through the net and ends up as a composer/dev.

Although you are right that the 'I'm here for the love, but customer service guy will tag me out for the negative stuff' is a tricky tightrope to walk - from a business perspective the alternative option would be worse. I think to an extent, realising your limitations and not putting yourself into a situation where you might end up throwing your toys out of the pram at your customers in public is a wise choice to make.

Maybe for those of us who have been into the non-private version of Spitfire from the beginning and have maybe even crossed paths with the owners over the years, this particular stunt has proved more difficult to swallow. More difficult because we had built up a perception of the relationship we had developed with them, and we just found out it is actually the relationship between a vendor and our wallet - and it's, well, just kind of disappointing.

On the bright side, your dog wasn't inadvertently neglected and no-one propositioned you with their blood sausage!


----------



## John Busby (Oct 18, 2017)

Vischebaste said:


> The more accurate hyperbole


fixed


----------



## pixel (Oct 18, 2017)

mac said:


> I think that's the same stuff we call black pudding in the UK. Not a fan


Black/Blood pudding. Yep. It's the same thing


----------



## Vischebaste (Oct 18, 2017)

johnbusbymusic said:


> fixed



Let me get this straight - you're a fan of Spitfire but not of hyperbole?


----------



## John Busby (Oct 18, 2017)

Vischebaste said:


> Let me get this straight - you're a fan of Spitfire but not of hyperbole?


fan of both actually


----------



## FGBR (Oct 18, 2017)

"*ALBION VI - BLOOD SAUSAGE*" Coming next week!


----------



## Alex Fraser (Oct 18, 2017)

Why the hell have I just spent the last half hour reading about blood sausage on Wikipedia?


----------



## Jaap (Oct 18, 2017)

As die hard Veggie and concerned customer, it is time to leave this party  (great post @Mihkel Zilmer !)


----------



## Quasar (Oct 18, 2017)

Mihkel Zilmer said:


> I'd like to take a small break from talking about Spitfire and address something else that's bothering me about this thread. Opinions.
> 
> I live next to a Moroccan family. When Christmas time comes, I go down to the local Dutch butcher and order myself a liter of pig's blood, so that I can make some *delightfully tasty blood sausages* just like my grandma used to make back in my home country of Estonia. Now, my neighbours - being devout muslims - not only do they not subscribe to the idea of Christmas, they also find eating pork problematic, to put it mildly.
> 
> ...




Die hard vegetarian here too. I'd want to hang out at the neighbors' house while that was going on LOL.

But yeah, great points.


----------



## pixel (Oct 18, 2017)

FGBR said:


> "*ALBION VI - BLOOD SAUSAGE*" Coming next week!


Recorded in the best slaughterhouse in UK with the best acoustics.


----------



## Soundhound (Oct 18, 2017)

I love this place. Obsessives are my favorite people, when taken in moderation. (get it?)

Could someone pm me the email? My disaster porn switch has been flipped and I need to see it.

And regarding several posts: Go Yankees! There I did it, now they're going to lose...


----------



## Ned Bouhalassa (Oct 18, 2017)

It's blood, man. You're eating blood. That's intense, I don't know...

There Will Be Blood, OTOH, I could take any day or night.


----------



## Quasar (Oct 18, 2017)

Soundhound said:


> I love this place. Obsessives are my favorite people, when taken in moderation. (get it?)
> 
> Could someone pm me the email? My disaster porn switch has been flipped and I need to see it.
> 
> And regarding several posts: Go Yankees! There I did it, now they're going to lose...


I never get obsessive over anything except those things that I become obsessively concerned with.

Not sure how to pm an actual email, but I've copied the text and posted a msg.


----------



## Geoff Grace (Oct 18, 2017)

Quasar said:


> As a Cub fan, I wouldn't mind a leaked insider email from Joe Madden explaining why he chose to let Lackey face Justin Turner, along with a bit.ly link pointing them toward a relief pitcher who can find the strike zone when Yu Darvish is at the plate.


LOL!

I have to admit Madden's Lackey vs. Turner choice was a gift to us Dodgers fans—especially on the 29th anniversary of Gibson's World Series home run. It was inspiring for LA and must have been maddening (no pun intended) for Cubs fans. 

Best,

Geoff


----------



## Soundhound (Oct 18, 2017)

Thanks! I read it, obsessively. I didn't find it in my inbox, so didn't get a chance to see if I would have experienced the feeling of intrusiveness it created for some people here. So, as my nephew says when we asked him if he cleaned up his room, 'there's no way of knowing'.

The bit about the chiropractor was kind of hilarious though.




Quasar said:


> I never get obsessive over anything except those things that I become obsessively concerned with.
> 
> Not sure how to pm an actual email, but I've copied the text and posted a msg.


----------



## Soundhound (Oct 18, 2017)

Being an american league guy, and not watching that much baseball the last few years I was unaware of Turner. At first I wondered who the game of thrones wilding looking guy was out there in the field. Then I see his numbers, and then he smacks a walk off homer to dead center. 

If I wasn't congenitally unable to root for LA teams (Knicks, Yankees, Giants deep in the dna) I'd be pulling for them. But they've also got Puig who bat tosses on doubles and singles, and licks his bat for crying out loud. Kind of hard not to like these guys.




Geoff Grace said:


> LOL!
> 
> I have to admit Madden's Lackey vs. Turner choice was a gift to us Dodgers fans—especially on the 29th anniversary of Gibson's World Series home run. It was inspiring for LA and must have been maddening (no pun intended) for Cubs fans.
> 
> ...


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## rottoy (Oct 18, 2017)

Ned Bouhalassa said:


> It's blood, man. You're eating blood. That's intense, I don't know...
> 
> There Will Be Blood, OTOH, I could take any day or night.


_Waiting for Albion VI to be released_


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## Fleer (Oct 18, 2017)

Would love me some of those blood sausages. There’s a shop in my home town that only sells ´bloedpens/beuling’. Finger licking good.


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## Quasar (Oct 18, 2017)

Soundhound said:


> If I wasn't congenitally unable to root for LA teams (Knicks, Yankees, Giants deep in the dna) I'd be pulling for them. But they've also got Puig who bat tosses on doubles and singles, and licks his bat for crying out loud. Kind of hard not to like these guys.


Haha. I am congenitally unable to root for LA teams too. I STILL have a lingering resentment over the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn, despite the fact that I've never lived in Brooklyn and it happened in the historical past, before I was born.

But then, I also still resent that Gone With the Wind won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1939 over The Wizard of Oz, a much better film... I need to learn to let go, man...


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## Kuusniemi (Oct 19, 2017)

I wasn't really bothered by the email, each company is welcome to try out whatever marketing strategy they want.

What felt wrong to me was that in my mind the image of Spitfire is high end and this type of marketing is below them. But each and every company makes marketing errors, just ask Pepsi... (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/critics-notebook-real-problem-kendall-jenners-pepsi-ad-991932)


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Oct 19, 2017)

Recreationally outraged people on the internet.


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## ghobii (Oct 19, 2017)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Recreationally outraged people on the internet.


I think you just gave a name to the most popular sport on the internet! "Recreational Outrage"!


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## synthpunk (Oct 19, 2017)

Good name for a punk band



ghobii said:


> I think you just gave a name to the most popular sport on the internet! "Recreational Outrage"!


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## Quasar (Oct 19, 2017)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Recreationally outraged people on the internet.



I am in complete sympathy with those who were outraged (though I was not), but really like the phrase "recreational outrage", and think I will add it to my working vocabulary.


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## Soundhound (Oct 19, 2017)

Disaster porn - _Noun
_
The focus of recreation outrage.


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## krops (Oct 19, 2017)

The definitive compendium of meticulously crafted user feedback.


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## Greg (Oct 19, 2017)

At first I thought it was funny but the more I think about it the more I understand the frustration. The simple fact that they would fuck with their customers like that on purpose is just pathetic and disrespectful.


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## SterlingArcher (Oct 19, 2017)

Greg said:


> At first I thought it was funny but the more I think about it the more I understand the frustration. The simple fact that they would fuck with their customers like that on purpose is just pathetic and disrespectful.



I thought I had a good grasp of what the problems were with this e-mail. Now it seems more like





And


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## Greg (Oct 19, 2017)

SterlingArcher said:


> I thought I had a good grasp of what the problems were with this e-mail. Now it seems more like
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What?


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## Patrick de Caumette (Oct 19, 2017)

Dear Paul and Christian: thank you for the free patch.

ps: you are going to have to do a lot better than this to impress and justify the hype.
Sounds vanilla to me...


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## Pontus Rufelt (Oct 19, 2017)

Spitfire has proven that not even the professional sample library market is impervious to the Kardashian brand of marketing. No matter how juvenile and silly, in the pursuit of money and attention, anything goes.

This incident has made me really appreciate the companies that do act with tact and professionalism. Thankfully there’s quite a few of them.


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## VinRice (Oct 19, 2017)

Dear God, this is ridiculous...


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## Karl Feuerstake (Oct 19, 2017)

Pretty impressive how much discussion has occurred over some basic email marketing...

Learn wisely from how Spitfire conducts advertising. They are masters of it. You may dislike and disagree with it, but look what kind of storm they have brewed up over the most simple of things. That is admirable.

If you have to do marketing in your own future (let's say you run a sample company of your own, or maybe you're an indie-video game developer, whatever - just some kind of niche market that targets a special and small group of people) - take a few lessons from how Spitfire targets and then teases and builds anticipation. It's brilliant.


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## The Darris (Oct 19, 2017)

The herd mentality is strong in this thread.


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## Vastman (Oct 19, 2017)

sheeple are everywhere these days... 

If this thread is the desired result of "brilliant marketing" I'm living in a village full of idiots!


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## NYC Composer (Oct 19, 2017)

Everyone who holds an opposing view calls the other "sheeple".

I think this is an unfair denigration of sheep. who are really quite agreeable. I am sheep-positive.

"Up the sheep!"


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## mc_deli (Oct 19, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> Good name for a punk band


Good name for a library album!


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## Geoff Grace (Oct 19, 2017)

Quasar said:


> Haha. I am congenitally unable to root for LA teams too. I STILL have a lingering resentment over the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn, despite the fact that I've never lived in Brooklyn and it happened in the historical past, before I was born.


My condolences, *Quasar*, on the Cubs loss in the NLCS. Chicago gave us a great World Series last year. I hope the Dodgers are equally up to the task.

Rooting for a Dodgers/Yankees World Series now. The nostalgia factor would be through the roof!

Best,

Geoff


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## synthpunk (Oct 20, 2017)

Reggie, Reggie, Reggie



Geoff Grace said:


> My condolences, *Quasar*, on the Cubs loss in the NLCS. Chicago gave us a great World Series last year. I hope the Dodgers are equally up to the task.
> 
> Rooting for a Dodgers/Yankees World Series now. The nostalgia factor would be through the roof!
> 
> ...


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## n9n9n9 (Oct 20, 2017)

Make art, not gas. Life is too short to bellyache. Also -- the free samples are nice enough to make up for it (unless you're too lazy to drop them into a patch...) I think this stunt was fun and effective.


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## rrichard63 (Oct 20, 2017)

Karl Feuerstake said:


> ... take a few lessons from how Spitfire targets and then teases and builds anticipation. It's brilliant.


I respectfully disagree. I don't think that getting a lot of attention always translates into sales. The attention has to be accompanied by at worst neutral (if not actually positive) feelings toward the attention-grabber. But that's just an opinion. What I do know is that this email misadventure makes me less likely to buy future Spitfire products rather than more. On the other hand, I'm just one customer -- with a tiny budget at that. And I said "less likely", not "completely unwilling".


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## Vastman (Oct 20, 2017)

rrichard63 said:


> I respectfully disagree. I don't think that getting a lot of attention always translates into sales. The attention has to be accompanied by at worst neutral (if not actually positive) feelings toward the attention-grabber. But that's just an opinion. What I do know is that this email misadventure makes me less likely to buy future Spitfire products rather than more. On the other hand, I'm just one customer -- with a tiny budget at that. And I said "less likely", not "completely unwilling".



Well said... I concur! Many developers are doing amazing things...and with all the innovative things like Novo coming out and new libraries like Cinematic Studio Brass and MA3 on the horizon, choice is more open than ever... and these things do matter to me

I don't like being tempted by a suposidly private file as i am a pretty ethical fella. The whole thing seemed off to me from a security/hack/Trojan risk standpoint as well as all the points @Daniel James so eloquently made.

What's most surprising to me is the "wtf's ur problem?" reaction from so many...as a species were in big fuckin trouble (working on climate I already know that but still...)


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## hyperscientist (Oct 20, 2017)

If it means anything: I found it to be really cool marketing ploy. I def prefer such emails to yet another regular email with a poster and a link.

More than that, it makes me like this company so much more than all the other faceless developers of musical software.


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## emasters (Oct 20, 2017)

As a marketing promotion, impact and coverage seem important. I read once that one remembers best, the ads you dislike most. From that perspective, this campaign seems pretty successful (as this thread demonstrates). That said, it's not my preferred approach for receiving product announcement information. But I'm not in marketing, so hey...


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## Ned Bouhalassa (Oct 22, 2017)

Late to the party: colour me naïve, but the accidentally-leaked email was a marketing trick? Please say no.

*edit* I just read the letter that followed the next day.

Spitfire, I love some of your libraries, but this is a a major turnoff. I don’t like being played for gain. I will therefore unsubscribe from your mailing list, and keep up with VI and FB.


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## Nokatus (Oct 22, 2017)

https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-law/direct-marketing

*"Marketing and advertising: the law"*

"Emails or text messages must clearly indicate:


who you are
that you’re selling something
what the promotions are, and any conditions"
"Every marketing email you send must give the person the ability to opt out of (or ‘unsubscribe from’) further emails."


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## camelot (Oct 22, 2017)

What surprises me the most is that so many people think that this was a good marketing stunt just because everyone is talking about it. How silly is that. As if any kind of attention leads to increased sales. If I hear a song on the radio that sticks out because it really bothers me never led me to buy the single.
This is Spitfire, they get so heavily hyped here. Every teaser they do creates just as much attention here. This was completely unnecessary. 
It rather annoyed a part of their loyal customer, many of them unsubscribing from their mailing list or testifying that they might look elsewhere in future, which they probably won't. The whole thing did more harm than it did good.

The whole thing is a counterfeit, they put on a mask, telling lies and you call them better than the other faceless companies. I wonder.

For me the biggest issue is the total lost of trust in what they say or claim. They claim in the last post it was some emotional thing. But do you believe them? How do I know that this is not a fake as well. How can I trust anything what they say in the future. And that trust is not easily gained again. This is for me the biggest issue with such fake message marketing, especially in a businees-2-business relation. I can understand that most younger, new hobbyist do not have a problem with that.


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## Nokatus (Oct 22, 2017)

Yep, for me personally it boils down to: ah, Spitfire Audio, the company that makes those superb sample libraries, and once sent counterfeit emails in marketing purposes even though it's illegal even in their home country. They are cool sample makers, but of course the latter is out of line, no matter how edgy and original it might seem.


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## Dynamoe (Oct 24, 2017)

NYC Composer said:


> I'm a fan of Spitfire's libraries but a long time opponent of their marketing style. I unsubscribed.


See, that's the way to react, I think...
Loose the drama and let them know that you (as a consumer) do not like and support that kind of marketing.
Then if enough people unsubscribe, I guess they will consider a different approach next time...


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## Geoff Grace (Oct 24, 2017)

But in the meantime...





_*GO DODGER BLUE!!! *_

Best,

Geoff


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## Kevin Fortin (Oct 24, 2017)

"For three days I fought my way along threads packed with Spitfire enthusiasts and
The offended, burdened with mailboxes and sensibilities containing their valuables.
All that was of value to me was in that kettle on the henge.
By the time I reached the decision to unsubscribe,
Scarfolk Council had come round to comfort me in my despair."


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## aumordia (Nov 21, 2017)

looks like spitfire doesn't sell sample libs these days so much as they sell a shopping experience. at least that's my take home point from this email and the fallout.

those who are looking for tools for the job are mostly PO'd, those who are looking for an entertaining buying experience don't understand how this stunt could be upsetting.


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## synthpunk (Nov 21, 2017)

I would like to have a good, old fashioned barber shave with my next Spitfire library! 
 


aumordia said:


> looks like spitfire doesn't sell sample libs these days so much as they sell a shopping experience. at least that's my take home point from this email and the fallout.
> 
> those who are looking for tools for the job are mostly PO'd, those who are looking for an entertaining buying experience don't understand how this stunt could be upsetting.


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## John Busby (Nov 21, 2017)

synthpunk said:


> I would like to have a good, old fashioned barber shave with my next Spitfire library.


a massage and shoe shine too


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## Carles (Nov 21, 2017)

sorry guys, did create this for another thread, but couldn't resist


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## thereus (Nov 21, 2017)

aumordia said:


> looks like spitfire doesn't sell sample libs these days so much as they sell a shopping experience. at least that's my take home point from this email and the fallout.
> 
> those who are looking for tools for the job are mostly PO'd, those who are looking for an entertaining buying experience don't understand how this stunt could be upsetting.




Is it ok to have been neither po’d nor avidly looking for an entertaining buying experience? I get much worse spam than that but it wasn’t very useful. The library’s nice.


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## FriFlo (Nov 21, 2017)

Carles said:


> sorry guys, did create this for another thread, but couldn't resist


I think I rather bought many volumes of the "British Masochist Series" ...


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## Kony (Dec 10, 2017)

Bought HZ Perc Pro during BF, noticed missing RRs on the JXL surdos, replied to an email I got from SF following up on my BF purchases asking for the hotfix that apparently exists (but unhelpfully not added to any update for months) and got the following response:

Welcome to the Spitfire Audio support system. Please click the link below to create a password and login. Apologies for this additional step but we are becoming inundated with Spam - this will help us to help you much more quickly!

Oh, the irony ... spam eh?


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