I think this particular candidate was comfortable breaking the usual hiring process as he felt that was bureaucratic. I don't think the cost of a box of donuts

I think this particular candidate was comfortable breaking the usual hiring process as he felt that was bureaucratic. I don't think the cost of a box of donuts amounts to bribery in Silicon Valley, and he's not a friend or family member so it's not nepotism. What he did was get noticed, even though it's a bit of a gimmick. Do you remember the Million Dollar Homepage? That worked because it was a novel idea. Nobody made it big on a copycat site. Similarly, this fellow stood out and that got him interviews. However if lots of people start trying this same method it'll fail quickly as a means to get interviews. I do think sending a portfolio of work is much better than just a resume. This guy made himself part of his portfolio, which for a marketing position is a great thing but which won't scale to every candidate showing up with donuts for every position. Thankfully programmers can send code and graphic designers can send images.