What I think is interesting in this approach is that they "got it". The idea of "permission marketing" is something that Seth Godin talks about for years.

Even big companies are seeing the value of providing services as a way of forming branding. It is no longer "guerilla marketing". It is getting mainstream.

Now, PG: wouldn't it be interesting to have a startup that could take this idea and "go meta", finding a way to provide smaller business the means to reach out for the users? :p