There sure seems to be a lot of branding fails going on lately. One that has been close to many of us is what happened after the recent #SMRebelsHelp chat, when the Girl Scouts failed. In this podcast we are going to cover three takeaways from three recent brand fails.
Three Takeaways From Three Recent Brand Fails Podcast
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photo credit: Alex E. Proimos via photopin cc
As mentioned, you can check out Applebee’s videos below:
The Roost
Tweet Beat Twitter Tutorial
Pintastic Pinterest Tutorial
If you absolutely need to see the GoDaddy commercial you can see it here.
What do you think about these recent Brand fails?
*If the podcast isn’t loading for you, you can listen to it here*
Paul Cooley is a consultant, speaker, preacher & soon to be author. He is all about breaking the mold to traditional business, branding & life.
Paul helps corporate, small business, entertainment & personal brands define and express their core message and image through Social Media and other online platforms. Paul founded a Social Brand Agency called iBoost and also shares his "street smarts" training on Rule Your Realm blog.
It's time to #RuleYourRealm!
@PaulCooley
Founder of @iBoostCo. Consultant, teacher, preacher & soon to be author. Breaking the mold to traditional business, branding & life. It's time to #RuleYourRealm
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Here's the thing with Go Daddy.. Paul. While I thought it was gross, I remember it. Don't confuse negative with shocking. I think they got exactly the buzz they wanted to get. You doing the podcast bears that out.
Well, that is true… But at the same time, it can be shocking and negative. That is why it comes down to what your target market wants and will respond to. On a little deeper level, it comes down to your reputation and the legacy you leave… As a company or person, I know I wouldn't want to be remembered for being shockingly gross.
So it is important to get buzz & exposure as long as it is the right kind for your brand. :)
Great conversation starter Paul. I agree with Gerry that memorable is one tactic and shock value is one of the oldest tricks in the book. It actually align perfectly with GoDaddy's brand image.
As for Applebee's that's a whole different story. Having spent years working with and for Corporate Restaurant Chains I can tell you this, when that get to the 2500+ unit size they have dozens of agencies produce work for them. Some handle National, local marketing, In-store, menu optimization, etc. In this case the agency that handled the TV was most likely a traditional advertising agency. That agency has little knowledge and frankly most likely doesn't care what the social media strategy is for Applebee's.
In reality it's not the agencies fault as they are provided a brief that was probably something like, "We need drive traffic to our casual dining restaurant, To-Go orders are up but we all know we make money from beverage sales (especially adult beverages) and we need to reach the decision maker aka the mom/woman and get "the girls" in for cocktails"
Applebee's Internal marketing is divided and they have their own goals and initiatives. Even if that means cannibalizing sales from other departments. This would happen all the time when I worked with Coca-cola, one flavor would take market share from another and was stated in the brief. This was my experiencing when rolling out the Diet Coke Lemon and Lime flavors. Crazy as it sounds it is the reality.
I bet the Social Media department at Applebee's was not to found of these spots and might have taken a hit with their followers. Although, IMO the only person who was made to look like a fool was the actress asked to play that stupid character. As they say the proof is in the pudding and if same store sales numbers increase, corporate would be more than happy to sacrifice some unhappy Pinterest or Facebook fans.
Just my opinion and perspective. Like I said, great conversation starter Paul. Cheers!
Thanks David!
For Godaddy, I get it is inline with their image, but at the same time I have to wonder what their sales would have been like if they hadn't offended so many. The problem I see with the shock tactic is, after a while people get comfortable with it. Then the brand has to step it up a notch and make it just a little more "edgy" and the cycle continues. The road Godaddy is on… how far is too far? I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want my kids watching that!
I do believe what you say about Applebee's and Coca-Cola, totally get that. But what really concerns me is that a smaller brand is going to try to copy some of these tactics and ruin their brand. If Applebee's don't care if they offend a certain portion of their audience, then that is the way it is… Doesn't make it right though. Many of the smaller brands can't afford to offend and turn away their consumers. Nor should they.
Seeing what some of these companies are doing, makes so all the more happier when I see other brands putting the customer first and adding value to them without only seeing money signs. Because when it's all said and done, I want to be able to look back and know I did a job well done…
Keep up the great work David! :)