All bets are on that consumers are worried about losing their jobs. Automakers began using their marketing muscle [1] to draw upon America's job security issues back in January, and this type of promotion seems like it's becoming a bit trendy. Telecommunications is the latest industry to get on the pink slip promotion train, with Virgin Mobile as the lone pioneer — for now.

Virgin's "Pink Slip Protection" [2] offer is similar to what the auto companies came up with but on a much smaller scale. Subscribers paying for a monthly service plan are eligible for three months of free service if they experience job loss. Bills up to $90 a month, including taxes and surcharges, will be written off so long as the subscriber has been a Virgin customer for at least two months.

Does this type of offer make you consider changing cell phone service providers?

Source [3]