A multi-billion dollar consulting giant just learned the hard way that asking small businesses for free product can backfire fast.
Cowdog Coffee, a popular Kitsilano cafe, went viral after sharing an email it received from Deloitte’s Vancouver office.
The pitch, with the subject line “Deloitte Vancouver – Local Business Giveaway Opportunity,” asked Cowdog to hand over a “small experience-based donation (like a credit for a single coffee, class, or similar offering) as a prize.”
The prize was for an in-office scavenger hunt tied to the World Cup, run by Deloitte’s internal People Council.
In return, the email promised Cowdog would be “directly promoted to a large and highly engaged office of professionals (1400+),” with a chance to “build awareness and attract new customers.”
In other words, free product in exchange for exposure.
Cowdog co-owner Joe Lee, a longtime content creator, was not having it.
He posted his response to TikTok, and it struck a nerve with all small business owners.
“Exposure doesn’t pay for our $13,000 a month rent in Kits,” Lee said in the video, “nor does it pay for our staff’s $29 an hour wage, or come close to covering the private health insurance from Blue Cross.”
Joe said requests like this hit the inbox once or twice a day, usually from local groups running silent auctions, but sometimes from billion-dollar corporations.
@justjoelee chat soon! xoxo #smallbusinessowner ♬ Computer-Mouse-Click_PREM11-1148 – Sound Ideas
He also questioned the value of the “exposure,” pointing to Deloitte’s low social engagement and asking how many of the 1,400 attendees would ever become paying customers when the cafe is nowhere near the downtown office.
Then came the counteroffer.
“So just for you, Deloitte, we do have these free drink cards that we will happily charge you $100 per card, with a minimum order of 50 cards,” Lee said. “Let’s just consider it the audacity upcharge.”
He offered to hand-deliver the 50 cards to Deloitte’s Vancouver office once the invoice was paid, noting the office “looks very beautiful and looks very expensive.”
For good measure, Joe suggested Deloitte instead donate to Rainbow Refugee, the cause behind a Pride fundraiser Cowdog was hosting.
The numbers made the ask look even stranger.
Deloitte reported a record US$70.5 billion in global revenue for its 2025 fiscal year, the first of the Big Four firms to pass the $70 billion mark.
Cowdog’s caption summed up the mood: “dear multi-billion dollar corporations please stop asking small businesses for free products in exchange for exposure.”
The comments filled up with small business owners sharing the same fatigue and locals were stunned by this.
“The AUDACITY sends me over the edge,” one wrote.
Another did the math: “Exposure to 1400 people, Cowdog’s Instagram 50,000 people, for a finance company the maths not mathing.”
Duchess Cocktails said they once got a global brand asking to sponsor events with free drinks “in exchange for exposure” too.
Will Deloitte reply to Joe after this clapback?
We’ll have to wait and see.
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Address: Cowdog Coffee, Kitsilano, Vancouver