Pink Truth Does Las Vegas!
Pink Truth started out as “Mary Kay Sucks” way back in July 2006. It started as a place to make fun of all things Mary Kay. But as interest in the site grew quickly, I decided to turn it into a place for women to find REAL information about the Mary Kay flopportunity. In October 2006, the president of MK’s U.S. operations assured the national sales directors that Pink Truth would eventually be “rendered meaningless.” More than 11 years later, we’re stronger than ever. You’d think that over time, our numbers of visitors and page views would dwindle. But they haven’t. Each year more than a million unique visitors consult this site for information about Mary Kay and other MLMs.
We’ve often talked about doing our own version of seminar, just for those of us who believe in the fight against MK and other MLMs. We’ve never launched such an event, but we did have a get-together of sorts in New York in 2015 when several of us went there to film for ABC’s 20/20. And this week I went to Las Vegas to have some fun again with our very own SuzyQ and PinkPeace. Pictures, or it didn’t happen:
The best part was when we spent about 45 minutes spouting Mary Kay talking points including things like “get the dollar signs out of your eyes” and “Mary Kay works when you do” and “if I could teach you how to do what I do” and “it’s a very simple plan” and “you just have to work it the way Mary Kay designed it.” We could have gone on for hours. Thanks, Mary Kay Cosmetics, for bringing these women into my life! Talk about a silver lining!
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Two posts in one day! ?
I am upset you were not on 20/20 that is how I found this site. I also have friends who were in the pink bubble and that is another reason why this site peaked my interest.
While I understand you changed you the name and all that, I like how you provide PROOF and the data (aka receipts) to show how MK won’t work unless you recruit or unless you are lucky to have faithful customers and you don’t have to front load.
MK sells over priced products. MK and robots act like they are competing with Estée Lauder and MAC to justify their outrageous prices. That is a joke. The other companies spend BILLIONS in advertising. MK can’t even advertise their products to recruit women- they recruit women on a farce of having it all and “life changing” opportunity. It’s life changing all right. Mmmm hmmmm.
I was a little bummed that all my great footage for the 20/20 piece ended up on the cutting room floor, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. As it was, our awesome representatives only got about 90 seconds of air time. What was supposed to be a huge hour-long feature on the “anti” side turned into a watered down version, with more time spent on the rah rah of the company. Thanks MK Legal! You did your job and scared big old ABC! 😀
Wonder if that’s a coincidence MK also collaborated with ABC for those Desperate Housewives commercials (that never came to be, thanks to Pam Shaw and VoiceCom) or the CMAs? I think the show shed more negative than good on MK, which is wonderful. I just wish someone could’ve explained to the reporter that she was interviewing an attorney with MK and not just a “VP Sales Force Recognition”. Such BS!
Cheers to you Tracy! Now, perhaps there is some way you can find someone who can help you to create an ‘Indie Film’ documentary? I hope you were able to save the footage that was cut. If not, perhaps if an ‘Indie’ documentary can be made, it can be made available both online and/maybe on disc?
PS: I remember when your site was ‘MaryKaySucks’ I think I ran across it around 2007 at the peak of the real estate and mortgage market while toughing it out as a loan officer ‘toying’ with using my hard learned marketing skills with either a direct sales/MLM company. The commission structures combined with time to ‘ramp up’ for all MLM’s if one decides to act as a true direct seller and even using a ‘shoestring budget’ to do so within a 3 to 6 month period is too low vs. buying product at wholesale/drop ship and reselling online at venues such as eBay or perhaps out of your home or local flea markets. The ‘numbers’ don’t ‘crunch’ but sadly, the average consumer and potential MLM individual/’prospect’ without the knowledge to analyze this is a lot like the average patron of a casino with the odds stacked against them.
LOL my favorite moment was the consultants saying they would have to check to see how much money they made. Proved the whole point of this site.
100% agree…. if you looked into their eyes they were so lost those ladies ! Its sad… i have a friend who is a mk sales director driving the pink caddie… ( i was a former mk lady) but anyways… we met up from time to time to catch up on life— and when i told her i quit mk i saw it in her eyes… the look of envy… like she wished she could have had the courage to quit 2 but couldnt say it… it’s sad because shes actually a sweet person.. it kills me that mk is ruining her life and she has to lie about numbers etc! : ( I am hoping that in time she’ll see this business for what it truly is!
A business owner, like those on 20/20, who doesn’t track net profit is only “working” a hobby. What other businesses do you know of that don’t know that answer? Wouldn’t the Shark Tank execs chew that up and laugh them off the show?
I want to corroborate this account…ABC flew me in days before to do warm booking on the streets of New York City. Can you even imagine the pressure of a camera crew filming you doing the ” I just need your opinion” script? And when they asked me to “recruit someone” live…I showed them how to do it and was immediately SICKENED, when the target said “yes” to my bogus product and “opportunity”…Kinda glad they cut that part…I really didn’t need to see another example of how successful MK training is…
Yes, no doubt you’re relieved it didn’t air, but there are some of us who would have considered it fun to watch!
I forgot about that, Raisin! But how eye-opening for people to see that you could sell a bogus opportunity. Oh wait… MK is a bogus opportunity.
They probably said us because of the camera crew.
If you have learned Mary Kay scripts and use them, complete with yes answer questions and head nodding, very few people can say no. If you keep saying yes to minor closing questions, the big yes turning into “no” would be awkward and socially difficult for any target to utter. You can see why for 50 plus years, Mary Kay rep’s who use the scripting, keep getting replacement drones into the ranks, can’t you? Did you just say yes?? If I were to teach you everything you need to know to be successful, would you be able to follow instructions?
Are you going to say, “no probably not”? The same sales tactics are used on consultants and Directors, and that is why they end up trapped for years and years and years, because they got TRICKED into committing to whatever was suggested, by their OWN tongues.
“…would you be able to follow instructions? “
The lead-up might have been getting my interest, but these days that question is, quite simply, insulting.
The 1960s are long gone. Unfortunately for MLMs, and fortunately for the increasingly street-smart women of the world, the scripts haven’t been updated.
These days we are inundated with email and online “click here” scams promising a free lunch while trying to steal our credit card numbers, and worse. Bitten once, twice shy.
Even the sociable among us are learning to ask “who’s asking” and “what are they really selling?” Vague sales pitches which make lofty promises but don’t name the company used to make us curious. Now they’re likely to just make us hit the “delete” button.
One more thing:
I know you are busy Tracy, I wish you would cover the LuLaRoe lawsuit of them suing a blogger.
Shay – They’re not actually “suing” Mommyguyver. First, let me be clear. She is pro-MLM and is doing our cause no favors. She is trying to profit off MLM stuff in any way possible. I am not a fan.
Here’s what happened: She published a whole lot of material that she received from LuLaRoe consultants. She said that if LLR wanted to know where she got the information, they should “just ask.” So they asked.
LLR may have a cause of action against the people providing information if that information is false and the people know it’s false. They’re asking for identities.
While I’m not a fan of bullying consultants, and I generally hate the LLR tactics… this course of action is not at all unheard of.
So I’m wondering…. why tell LLR to “just ask” and then get up in arms when they ask?
Oh.. she is PRO MLM???
Oh hecks no.
Ok. Thank you for clarifying. ?
Yes, she says you just have to find the “right” one. LOL
Much better odds in Vegas than with MK!
Yes! Two in one day!
I really am glad I found this site. All of my life I have somehow managed to keep from getting recruited into any MLM but I was always the girl who would go to a party and purchase whatever was being sold because I thought I was being a good friend. And of course every now and then I would have a party too-to help my friend. This site is so illuminating! It made me realize all the lines and scripts I heard are just that-lines and scripts-and it doesn’t matter what MLM it is-it is all the same. And in my area it seems that the MLMs are so plentiful lately and I am getting invites left and right-the information I’ve found here makes is so much easier to say no to any of it and not feel an ounce of guilt!
That describes my experience with MLMs over the years. Either someone wanted to recruit me or get me to book a party. Keep passing up those invitations without an ounce of guilt! I would rather spend an uneventful evening at home than have to show up at someone’s house with a checkbook or my credit card!
The place were I worked was closing at the end of the year and everyone was looking for a new job. One lady whose job was consumer counseling got snared by the MK Director who had a meeting place in our building. She came around to everyone announcing that she was starting her own business, and would we all please join her downstairs after work at the MK meeting place for a free facial. The “help me help you” guilt was running strong.
I was noncommittal. At the appointed hour I made sure I was too busy to show up. She was very cool towards me after that.
A couple of months later I saw her carrying a VERY small bag of MK products to fulfill an order. I asked her how her MK business was doing. She huffed at me and refused to answer.