Free Gas in South Dakota

[galaxie50059]

I found this link on another totally unrelated site that I look at from time to time. The guy said this is legit. I looked into it and sure enough it is. The tourism people in South Dakota are giving away free gas. I know its only $20.00 worth but what the heck. ....its only good til the end of august. No this isnt spam, I am a legit person and a member of the forum and am not associated with the tourism folks of south dakota in any way. If the moderators feel this belongs elsewhere feel free to move the post.

[Midwest Michael]

Thanks for the link!

There is a little bit of fine print - you have to be from Kansas, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, Missouri, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, or Nebraska - but otherwise, it looks good. I was a little concerned that it would only be good for E-85 fuel, which only a handful of cars can use, but it just says ethanol related products, so I assume the voucher can be used for the 10% Ethanol blend found in almost all gasoline in the midwest.

If you are heading to South Dakota this summer, its certainly worth checking out!

[Midwest Michael]

I'll add an update, according to an Associated Press story, more than 10 thousand people have already requested the Free Gas Voucher.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I'll add an update, according to an Associated Press story, more than 10 thousand people have already requested the Free Gas Voucher.

I wonder if they were ready for this kind of response? I hope someone posts who has received one of these things!

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

I applyed yesterday, since I'm hoping to make a trip out there later this summer. I'll post an update when I actually get it.

[galaxie50059]

Sorry about not posting too many details in my original post. I found the free gas offer on my lunch break at work. I had just a few minutes to post it here as I felt it should be shared with all. I am aware of the overwhelming demand for the free gas vouchers as noted by the 10,000+ requests for them already. I read even farther into the fine print on this and found that there is only going to be 3,000 vouchers issued (if I am reading that correctly). I agree that maybe they weren't thinking the response was going to be so huge. Maybe they will give more out if the demand is high enough. After all $20 doesnt buy a whole lot of gas and one has to fill up at least once in SD, so they would get their money back pretty easily. I have applied for mine and several of my road trip friends, I will post again, if and when the vouchers arrive.

[Midwest Michael]

I hadn't caught that 3,000 limit until you posted it.

However, I'd be willing to bet that a large number of those who have requested the vouchers didn't read the fine print that says you have to be from one of the 10 states listed to be eligable.

At least, you'd think if they'd already maxed out the offer they would take down the form on website.

[Mark Sedenquist]

At least, you'd think if they'd already maxed out the offer they would take down the form on website.

I don' think that was the intention -- the promotion just made a good "hook" -- I think the intent all along was to promote the use of ethanol and therefore they will continue to promote their primary message point long after the 3000 vouchers have been used up. It is possible that the 3000 were gone long before the site placement went live.

Mark

[galaxie50059]

A "hook" it very well could be, but sometimes those types of advertising schemes wind up backfiring and causing more harm than good. At any rate, it will be interesting to see if this really pans out.

[Mark Sedenquist]

A "hook" it very well could be, but sometimes those types of advertising schemes wind up backfiring and causing more harm than good.

Agreed, much of the marketing of the ethanol additives seem more like renditions of the "lil' engine that could" than for-real marketing efforts. One of our analysts, Alice Zyetz, wrote an overview about the related Bio-Diesel industry in this report.

Mark