Have you ever tried to score a freebie from a brand? I decided to get creative and send personalised poems to 50 of my favourite companies, big and small, to see if I’d get anything in return.

Part experiment, part challenge, let’s reveal the results of my poetic outreach and share my top tips if you’d like to write some of your own - Andrew Cunningham (Capital Matters Editor)

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Contents

What Freebies Did I Get?
Example Poems
Top Tips
Was It Worth It?

What Freebies Did I Get?

🛁 Free High-End Toiletries - Worth £40
🎥 2 Free Cinema Tickets - Worth £32
🇹🇭 50% Off Local Thai Restaurant - Worth £31
🔋 Free Batteries - Worth £14
🧽 Free Cleaning Kit - Worth £12
🫖 Free Teabags - Worth £10
🍗 Free Fast Food - Worth £9.48
👨‍🍳 Sausage Company - £6 Voucher
🐕 Dog Food Company - £5 Voucher
🏷️ Crisp Company - £2 Voucher
🥃 Glassware Company - 20% Off Coupon
🧽 Cleaning Company - 15% Off Code
🗺️ Tour Company - 3-For-2 Coupon

Total Value So Far: £161.48 Minimum
Total Freebies So Far: 13 Out Of 50
Success Rate So Far: 26%

Example Poems

Heads-up – Sadly, these were the poems that didn’t result in a freebie. I’ll hold off sharing the ones that did just in case those brands get inundated with poetry!

An Ode To Costco

Oh Costco, my friend, where treasures abound,
Your cheap fuel keeps us driving on roads all around.
The rotisserie chicken, so tender and sweet,
Your hot dog and drink, the deal can’t be beat.
In your aisles, I wander, a shopper’s delight,
Costco, you’re perfect, from morning to night.

I focused on specific products I liked to make the poems more personal. But Costco, as one of your biggest fans, to not even get an email response…Don’t worry, I forgive you.

An Ode To Mint Oreos

Oreo biscuits, a treat that’s so sweet,
Dunked in tea, they’re perfect to eat.
Twist and dunk, in a creamy embrace,
Their minty cousins I long to retrace.
But finding them now feels like a quest,
Yet in each classic Oreo, I find the best!

Normal Oreos are great and all but I made it more unique by focusing on the more niche mint-variety.

An Ode To DeWalt

DeWalt, the toughest tools in the land,
A hammer so fine, it fits snug in my hand.
Like Tim the Tool Man on Tool Time with cheer,
Turning projects to triumphs, no challenge to fear.
At B&Q, I head to your aisle with glee,
For DeWalt’s the brand that’s just right for me!

As you can see, the poems didn’t need to be that long. Most were in the 4-6 line range and I tried to make each one personal.

5 Top Tips When Writing Poems To Brands

Wanting to try your hand at poetry to get some freebies from your favourite brands? Here are my top tips:

Tip 1: Wander Around Your House To Find The Brands You Like

It took me about 20 minutes to come up with the 50 brands. Wandering around the house got me most of the way there. I’d just note down the brand names behind the products I use and enjoy.

For the rest, I just thought of the places we visit on a regular basis. Local restaurants, garden centres, cinemas etc.

Tip 2: Be Creative And Use Humour

Keep the tone light and funny. Brands are more likely to respond to something that’s unique, clever and entertaining.

Tip 3: Keep It Short and Snappy

There’s no need for 10 stanzas here. Most of the poems I sent were in the 4-6 line range. Brands are busy so aim for a concise and punchy poem that gets your message across quickly.

Tip 4: Make It Personal

If it’s a brand with a lot of products, single out the ones you specifically use on a regular basis. If it’s a chain restaurant, mention the one you visit most often.

Tip 5: Use Social Media If No Contact Page

Most companies had an email or contact form but some didn’t. If I couldn’t find either, I’d search for them on Facebook or Twitter/X and see if I could contact them via direct message.

Was It Worth It?

It was certainly fun to do and I enjoyed the mystery of waiting to see if a company would offer anything in return. Since I only sent poems to brands I liked, any freebie or discount was going to be a treat.

If you’d like to try it, bear in mind my numbers seem to suggest a 25% success rate (around where I was expecting).

I would say though, if you’re in the market for a particular product, send the company a poem first to see if they’ll offer you any discount. Putting in that little bit of effort might pay off.

Let me know if you have any success with your poetry. Tweet/X me at @ACunninghamUK, send me an email or comment below. Join my newsletter for more deals and money-saving tips like this one.