cybersecurity giant paid women - and only women - to stand at its happy hour networking event as faceless lamps

[lapfog_1]

3. even in the 1990s

I knew a woman ( we dated off and on ) who worked the "booth babe" ( actual title ) circuit in Las Vegas. The tech and construction and other "heavy" industries ( HVAC ) that had shows there wanted the best looking females they could get to dress up ( or down ) and just hang out at their booths, making chit-chat with any of the mostly male attendees that came their way... hand out swag and do a little "filtering" about who was interested in products and who just wanted to hit on the ladies. They would then direct the potential customers to a real employee for the hard sell, etc.

It was generally hard work as they had to stand around in high heels and ( generally ) revealing gowns or costumes or bikinis for hours and hours every day, always with a smile plastered on their face along with the make up.

But it paid well, better than working at a strip club sometimes... and the work was steady.

I really can't imagine this happening now 24 years later... and Palo Alto Networks is or was one of the better known cyber security companies. What a bone headed marketing droid move.