What was the #SixWeeks experiment?

Why was the #SixWeeks social experiment created? 

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Our personal data is valuable. But it's only been of value to companies and organizations that we interact with. We give away our digital data, our monetary transactions in shops, and our time waiting in line. Yet we as individuals don't get much back from giving this data away. Paul McCrudden wanted to change this. #SixWeeks was a consumer experiment in 2009 that challenged companies to pay him for the time he spent as their customer.

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How was the data collected?

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In the summer of 2009 Paul McCrudden recorded all the time and money he spent with brands - in their cafes and restaurants, in their shops, reading their newspapers and magazines, and more. He used data-tracking site Daytum to record this, based on the time he recorded during those interactions. During the project, this data was published online for anyone to view. It was his consumer interactions opened up to the world during this six weeks period. 

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What companies did he contact? ​

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At the end of the six weeks, Paul McCrudden wrote a letter to over 50 companies requesting payment for his time. He did this via the post, with a letter and invoice to each company detailing his time and cost. He based the cost on his hourly rate but with a big 75% discount as this wasn't a standard working relationship. 

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The companies he contacted were mainly in the UK, plus some international. They included food establishments Pret a Manger, EAT, Little Chef, Pizza Express and others; retail chains Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury, WHSmith and Borders; TV and media companies including Channel 4 and the BBC; plus many small, local businesses that he had visited in that time. 

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The letters he wrote tried to persuade the companies to pay him for the time he'd spent. In the letters Paul McCrudden wrote: 

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"In the last six week from mid June to the end of July, I spent 47 minutes in your cafe/shop. Please find enclosed the invoice for my time." 

 

"My time on the planet is valuable to me. But more importantly it's valuable to you. In our attention economy, my presence in your cafe/shop helps your company in a number of ways ... Currently this is not reflected in the cost of your products and I believe it should be. As such I would like to re-coup the costs for my time spent with you in this six week period."

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"I look forward to hearing back from you, and receiving payment soon."

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Which companies paid him?

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Many companies replied to Paul McCrudden's letters, and he kept a blog during the response period so anyone following the story could read the replies he received.  

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The companies that paid Paul McCrudden during his #SixWeeks prank included Pret a Manger, Little Chef, Pizza Express, Cranberry, EAT and a local London cafe called Squat and Gobble. 

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What was the Pret a Manger reply?

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Pret a Manger were the first copmany to pay Paul McCrudden in his #SixWeeks consumer experiment. The global cafe chain's founder Julian Metcalfe wrote: 

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"Dear Paul, Thank you so much for your invoice for the time spent in our cafes. I understand your time on the planet is valuable and I am indeed sorry you were not able to spend more time in my competitors' establishments." 

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"You are of course absolutely right. The time you spent in my cafes will greatly help the profitability of our company. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for the generous discount you have applied to your bill."

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"I believe there is an error with this invoice as you've forgotten to add the £22 spent with our company, no doubt also an inconvenience. I have taken the liberty of adding this sum to what we owe you and what's more, I have added a nominal sum to cover interest."

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"I hope you will appreciate prompt payment. I have asked our accounts department to issue a cheque today as I see no reason why you should be kept waiting. I'm sorry to have to pay you by cheque as I am aware of the effort and time it will take you to pay this into the bank. I have therefore taken the additional liberty of increasing the amount by £1 to cover your walk to the post box. "

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"I'm so sorry that we have put you to all this inconvenience and thank you for taking the time to read this correspondence."

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What were some of the other funny replies?

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Pizza Express CEO Mark Angelo gave Paul McCrudden a year's membership and vouchers, ending his reply with:

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"Given the publicity you've created and no doubt increased web traffic for your employer, have you considered asking for a pay rise?"

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The small cafe Squat and Gobble on Charlotte Street in London where Paul McCrudden spent a total of 60 minutes during the six weeks gave him a voucher. In its reply, their owner wrote:

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"You will be able to redeem this card at Squat and Gobble as long as you have not been spotted spending any more time with our competitors, you naughty boy."

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Fruit and nut retailer Cranberry had two interactions with Paul McCrudden during #SixWeeks. The first was to ask for payment of their Managing Director's time in reading McCrudden's letter. So Paul McCrudden sent a follow-up letter with a cheque for payment of their Managing Director's time, along with a second invoice for additional time he had since spent at Cranberry. In his second reply, Cranberry Managing Director Nick Charlton listed seven definitions of 'nut', with the seventh being "Nut case (slang), an insane person." He then wrote:​

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"Hitherto we thought that the only nuts were on our shelves, but perhaps we are mistaken. In the context of your recent claims and invoices we are rather drawn to definition number seven."

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Did #SixWeeks project go viral and what media coverage and awards did it get?​

 

Yes, #SixWeeks was hugely successful on Twitter with millions of engagements and views to McCrudden's posts, and his website that housed the #SixWeeks blog, letters and replies. 

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Many UK national and international media ran stories about it including The Telegraph, The Guardian and BBC. Paul McCrudden was interviewed live on BBC Radio 5 about it, along with the owner of one of the companies involved, Squat and Gobble. 

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The #SixWeeks consumer experiment won The Guardian Mega Award for Innovation, and the BIMA Award for Best UK Blog.