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Promoters halt lecture for gifts
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Two lectures at the University of Wisconsin were interrupted Thursday afternoon when two separate men posing as FedEx delivery workers busted into the classrooms to announce they had a package of Red Bull for a named student.
The first man entered lecturer Amy Siciliano’s Geography 101 class Thursday morning and began to hand out Red Bull.
Later that day, students in professor Kris Olds’ Geography 305 lecture were watching a film when the man entered the room to announce he had a delivery.
Olds, who had heard of the incident in Siciliano’s class earlier that day, guided the man into the main office in Science Hall where officers from the UW Police Department were called.
Lt. Peter Ystenes of the UWPD said both of the men had been marketing for Red Bull, and the second was released after questioning.
“We talked to his boss, and they’ve agreed not to do it in the future; we consider it closed at this point,” Ystenes said.
In an e-mail to students in his Geography 305 lecture, Olds described the man as “noticeably edgy” and said such disruptions must be avoided to keep UW students safe.
“It is not acceptable to have classes disrupted like this, and you never know what this person might do in class, or after,” Olds said in the e-mail. “At first, I thought it might be a joke, or perhaps some ‘guerilla marketing,’ but given his reactions and the fake FedEx T-shirt and forms, it is far from a joke.”
Ystenes said Red Bull was engaging in an illegal form of solicitation that is seen often on the UW campus.
“I think people know there’s a young market in classes, so they show up with giveaways,” Ystenes said. “But we can’t allow it, especially if they’re disturbing people. Clearly the professors didn’t appreciate it.”
Tickets are rarely issued in these situations and those involved are usually just asked not to do it again.
“The guy just showed up with the product — it wasn’t his idea obviously,” Ystenes said.
Red Bull spokesperson Jennifer Belongia did not return an e-mail as of press time.
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I used to work for Red Bull, and they regularly had us push limits. Two employees were temporarily apprehended on a Wisconsin campus for handing out cans. This is no surprise. My guess is that it was an intentional ploy to get media coverage and to make Red Bull seem subversive and, thus, “cool” with students.
Way to go Kris… had him for Geo. 305, coolest guy ever, and he makes a very good point. If these guys can get into a class at will posing as FedEx guys, there’s a bigger issue at hand.
They came to my RMI 300 class on thursday too. Prof Halek was pissed!
@9:54
anyone can get into any classroom dressed as anything…we have an open campus.
I don’t understand how the shirt makes this a “bigger issue”
I think that’s awesome - Im in business and marketing and this is so creative and different to market a brand, its worth the 3 minutes that class is interrupted especially when its something that can help you get through the day.
Admin and teachers need to get the sticks out of their asses
This is why Red Bull is THE industry leader. Good for them, we all take life way too seriously! I hope the kids enjoyed their can of Red Bull, and it is certainly something no one in the room will forget for a while!
Hopefully it was their new cola, because its a great product, not even an energy drink.. just an all-natural cola.