OT: Blend - social networking app for college students except OSU

Submitted by BlueCE on

http://www.pehub.com/2014/03/college-app-blend-raises-2-7-mln-ohio-stat…

"The app is available for students in more than 3,500 universities nationwide, except those from Ohio State University. Blend co-founder and CEO Akash Nigam attended the University of Michigan before dropping out and launching Blend. As such, the company doesn’t allow students from rival school Ohio State to sign up for the app."

 

 

mGrowOld

March 5th, 2014 at 12:26 PM ^

The dude is brilliant.  For whatever revenue he purposively left on the table by excluding OSU students he's now getting buckets of free publicity for his ap nationally.  His press release, which under normal terms would get barely noticed, is now getting write-ups and commentary because of the exclusion.

Now THAT's a "Michigan Man."  Find a way to profit by sticking it to the Buckeyes......

goblue20111

March 5th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^

Count me as one who thinks is kinda dumb.  Why turn down more money? 

Also, how does he prevent them from signing up? Do you need a .edu email? If not, it's pretty easy to go around it. 

4godkingandwol…

March 5th, 2014 at 1:04 PM ^

... comment above.  It is 100% PR.  The value in the short term of the OSU student body is much lower than the value of the PR (assumption).  In the long term, if the company is successful, OSU folks will adopt it because it will be the default network for students.  Similar to how Facebook can change their privacy policies all the time and no one leaves the network because of it. Only reason people are leaving is because it's not cool anymore.  

JayMo4

March 5th, 2014 at 12:51 PM ^

At some point I would think it makes us look kind of petty, on the off chance this takes off.  No doubt we'd feel that way if the shoe was on the other foot.  I'd rather Michigan be known for what it gives everyone than what it denies to certain people.

We all hate OSU, but to me that's a sports thing.  It's a game we play when we're talking about football and basketball.  It's not something - for me, anyway - that extends into my day-to-day life.  I have family and friends that went there.  I would never treat any of them worse because of it.

I realize this is a social network, and we're not denying them cancer treatment or something actually significant.  I don't mean to sound melodramatic here.  Just not an approach I personally care for, that's all.  Please don't downvote me and this box of adorable puppies.

 

BlockM

March 5th, 2014 at 2:35 PM ^

Just what students want, more ads and coupons! Good on him for getting funded, but I'll be very surprised if this thing takes off in any meaningful way.

wolverinebutt

March 5th, 2014 at 5:01 PM ^

Good idea to exclude suckeyes.

Would you invite ants to a picinic?

Would you invite roaches and rats to a dinner party?

Heck NO!  Then why invite suckeyes to anything. 

UserAbuser

July 14th, 2020 at 6:49 AM ^

Hehe, these guys have a good sense of humour, no cap. I remember these lovely days of college rivalry and big parties on weekends. Damn, it was so cool to hook up with a girl from opposite college, as it gave you a status of a hero for weeks. Oh, good old days. Nowadays to catch a girl you have to just to log in here https://www.hellohotties.com/hookup.html for example and, boom, a bunch of notifications in a few seconds. I bet, our children miss a lot of our experience