So my suggestion was “why don’t we try marketing prepaid to drug dealers?” However, since it was a “no-no” to acknowledge that our phones were being used for illegal activities, they brushed my idea aside. Of course many years later they began marketing using music celebrities popular to those who might listen to “ganster-rap.” Thinking back I think your stuck mind-set explains their reaction perfectly. They were unable to step away from their preconceived notions to see that we could use aspects of a “criminal” culture to appeal to potential customers without actually admitting or suggesting that we have drug dealers as customers. All we had to do was orient a campaign around culture that might resonate with them.