I knew a guy who was being ignored by a Big East-Coast Technology Company before email was commonplace (no need to say "Who"). After getting no response to his pleas for a similar 5-minute job that they were contractually obligated to do, he sent the manager of the department a brand-new art deco trash can. And a note saying, "Since so many of my requests have ended up in your trash can, I thought maybe you could use a new one." It worked.