Good article, Mary, tbh I hadn't thought about that sort of marketing, but it definitely happens. Some years ago there was a huge problem with time-share companies in Spain and in other countries where an individual would 'bump' into people, aologise and then launch into the company spiel and before the tourist knew it, they were reeled into an agreement.

In the UK it is mostly outlawed now, but not entirely, especially with the wider range of methods at reaching people.