There’s one way companies, like Uber, that have been deemed controversial can win the court of public opinion: constantly give away free stuff.

At 5:14 p.m. Friday afternoon, June 27, I received an email from Uber informing me about another can’t-miss, “exclusive” summer giveaway, courtesy of the ride-sharing company: free rides worth $30 – instead of the standard $10 credit users had received for new customer referrals. “That means for every friend you invite who rides, you’ll score three times the value! Pocket a ride this big and go crosstown, upgrade your night out, and don’t sweat the fare,” Uber’s email stated.

Uber user’s, like myself, upon receiving the promo email, are supposed to tell our friends to sign up with our referral code; according to Uber, “for every friend who signs up and rides, you each get 1 free ride.”

Guess what readers? We just became best friends; here’s my referral code: mikec429

If readers check out Twitter, they’ll notice that this tactic – giving away one’s personal Uber referral code to the masses – is nothing new. In fact, it’s marketing strategies like this that help make Uber so successful. Who doesn’t like a company that constantly gives away free stuff, and also let’s its customers get in on the action?

Incentives, such as frequent promo giveaways help Uber shoot up the “Social Economy Pyramid.”

As Barbara Gray, an equity analyst and founder of Brady Capital Research, suggested in her recent LinkedIn article, Uber is able to “access three social value drivers: Advocacy, Connection, and Collaboration.” And now, we’re going to – hopefully – put that theory to the test. Readers, you have my promo code (here it is again: mikec429); let’s attempt to connect and collaborate.

Anyone who uses my referral code, feel free to say so in the comment section below. If the prospect of using my referral code seems suspect to you, feel free to say so in the comment section below.

Image via Uber