hi guys,

weird long-shot question!

Anyone studied/works in marketing and knows of the whole DS-max controversy?! Likewise the Cobra group (the uk arm of DSmax). Whilst over here in Oz my girlfriend is working for Cobra - but there are certain things about it that have worried me, and subsiquently I had a look on the net and was a bit shocked at the controversy surrounding these direct marketing companies. Thus I'm a little worried. She's working as an "independent contractor", standing in malls getting people to sign up to donate monthly payments to HRI (heart research institute).

here's some random links:

an entire msn group dedicated to slating DS-max!!!

http://groups.msn.com/DSMAXTheAftermath/links.msnw

one particularly interesting site outlining EXACTLY what she does/has to put up with as part of the job. check out 2-5 on that list, its like a fookin cult!

http://wolfram.org/scam/ds_max/index.html

UK newspaper article on cobra:

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/tm_...name_page.html

Duno what im asking really, just if anyone knows of bad experiences, potential pitt falls associated with this kind of work etc.......??

 

Where are you in oz mate? From what I have seen, attitudes are much the same as the UK i.e people dont want to be stopped when they are out shopping. If thats what you mean?

 

hi mate,

didnt expect you to be from Oz with that name! though i did see one Sapph whilst I was in Sydney I think.

We are travelling but currently in Brisbane. I'm not really getting at the nature of the job, but more how stable the company is, how legitimate they are, how likely they are to f*ck you over!! that kind of thing. She's doing quite well at it (taking home around $600 per week, which is good money for a backpacker) but certain things concern me, especially having read all the negative stuff on the net.
Conversations from people she stops like:

joe public: do you work for cobra?
Sarah: what difference does that make?
joe public: it makes ALL the difference.......*walks off

got me wondering, what do they know that she doesnt?! and now i've read some of the stuff in those links im starting to get the picture! just wondered if anyone else knew anything.

so you live in melbourne mate? i'll be there later in the year. i get the impression a lot of automotive industry is based there? wouldnt mind getting sponsorship from a manufacturer lol (im an engineer).

 

Havent heard of anything that serious about the company specifically so it sounds like you could be onto something. I dont really know anyone in that field to ask but will see.

My saff should be here in a couple of weeks but I am English! Emigrated a few weeks ago. There are a fair few RS's here and Ford are not far from me. They are in Geelong if you want to look them up. Drop us a PM when you are in the area if you want.