NY Daily News:
This vending machine cares more about love than money.
A new Coca-Cola machine at the National University of Singapore dispenses free beverages in exchange for hugs. The red-and-white machine has the word “Hug Me” written across the front in Coke’s signature font.
The machine is programmed to dispense a Coke when a person wraps their arm around it.
The video accompanying the story is very sweet but it’s hard not to be cynical and think there’s no way this campaign would work in the US.
In the U.S., the machine would power-launch a can into your crotch just as you were hugging it.
I love to counter Moeski’s posts:
Singapore is in Southeast Asia. So is Thailand.
I was talking to a very pleasant young Thai woman today, and we got to talking about how very warm and friendly most Thais are.
She agreed and said that they will generally be very warm, friendly, hospitable, and even helpful as long as you are yourself friendly and respectful with them.
But if you ever would try to ORDER them to do something, they’d show you their dangerous side.
Interesting.
That has been my experience with not only Thais but with Laotians, Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Burmese.
I’m not sure how many Malaysians I’ve met, but I think they have similar standards.
I tend to give fellow Americans a good amount of credit for the most part. But I suspect there is a higher percentage of idiots and miscreants here than in other countries, too.