A marketing mishap

I don't run with money. Ok, I rarely run with money, unless I'm running an incredibly long distance alone and I think I might need some emergency cash. So, Tuesday during my 3-mile run, I had the unfortunate luck to run by three young children selling Kool-Aid. I saw them in the distance. And I started to go through what I would say to them when I passed. I was obviously in their target market. I was tired, hot and thirsty. And, I was on foot. But what I lacked was money. Oh, Kool-Aid sounded good too. I love that cherry-flavored stuff. It reminds me of summers at Vacation Bible School --the only time a year I was allowed to drink Kool-Aid and eat cheap lemon cookies. It was free then, but not on Tuesday.

So as I passed, I prayed for a car to drive up and give them business so I could run by unnoticed. But, nope. "Miss...do you want some Kool-Aid?!" Oh, poor kids, they were so cute too. They could see it in my eyes. Yes, I wanted the sugary, additive-laden water. I could see it in their eyes, "Oh, she's a buyer!" And then the bubble burst. "Sorry guys, I don't have any money." (I could see them thinking, "liar, grown-ups always have money that they don't give to kids.") So I turned back around and shouted, "I don't carry money when I run, but thank you and good luck." Ok, I'm a dork. But, really, it was a good idea for those kids to attempt sell their product to a hot, thirsty runner like myself, but what I lacked was the resources to purchase it. And that was a marketing mishap. (Tonight, I think I'll bring 50 cents, just in case they are back, and so that would be an example of a succesful ongoing marketing campaign. I wonder if they need P.R.?)