I think it is an excellent promotion...
Even if they left... they would have tweeted it already to their followers... So Steem at least would get more known...
I see some of them bitching to their 100.000 followers... Imagine, I only got 500 USD for posting my introduction on Steemit... I prefer posting on Facebook and get nothing!!
(bad publicity is publicity as well) ;)
I agree with robsteady, I think offering money to get people here is may not be the best idea. It may be quick, but the quality of the sign up (as far a staying and contributing power) may not be very good. This is an awesome platform with huge potential that can be leveraged by people in many different ways. I think though it may be slower (but not much slower) and less of a quick bang, but education is the best means of attracting a bigger user base.
PS: That said, I am not worried and about a falling price currently or if the type of promotion stated in this blog is used. I think I am familiar with the founder's (and their team's) mind-sets. I have followed and communicated with them for quite a while. I could be wrong, but my theory, is that price is falling on purpose. It is engineered into the system as a means of delaying lift off so the broadest amount of people can participate in the future success that is likely to come.
I think the falling price you refer to has more to do with the 5000% inflation in the first year. The falling price we see right now is falling much quicker than inflation of 1% daily. The previous project from Dan was tanking as well and never recovered and stayed low (is not dead yet, although Dan talked in an article in past tense regarding the project).
I think Steem is different, the design is much better. And even though it might be better to have a million users instead of 50.000 it is growing steadily in user figures... Something the previous project lacked...