Deal or No Deal? Cheap Prices Can Maim Your Brand

Give Shoppers a Bargain, but Don’t Make Your Promotion Permanent

BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — Google searches for the term “coupons” last month for the first time surpassed those for “Britney Spears.”

Source: Marketing in a Recession
Ad Age explores what marketers, media and agencies are doing to survive and even thrive in the downturn. Published: April 06, 2009

“What to do if people are messing with your brand online”

1. Don’t fight it. Trying to cajole, warn, threaten or even sue someone who is misusing your product or making a joke will only come off as heavy-handed. “Maybe some Neanderthal thinks that they can control this, but the reality is no one can,” said Pete Blackshaw, exec VP of Nielsen Online Digital Strategic Services. And antagonistic attitudes will only invite more criticism and mocking.

2. Survey the extent of the problem. Is it a small group of jokers no one will take seriously or a more reputable group? How damaging is what they’re saying or doing? That is, are they completing maligning the product and associating it with extremely unsavory behavior? Or is it just goofing around?

3. Turn to your social-media crisis plan. And if you don’t have one yet, develop one.

4. Be open with employees. They use social media too and likely already know about it. But make sure to discuss what’s happening and give them the information you want conveyed (for instance, what to say if a friend asks at a party, “Hey, what’s up with all these kids smoking Smarties?”).

5. Respond accordingly. At the very least, have a prepared statement for any media calls. Make sure it is available to all senior executives who may be queried. And make sure to respond as quickly and as transparently as possible to any direct questions from your customers.

— Source: AdAge

Smarties - possibly a Class A(ct)?

How To Smoke Smarties

I’m sure the US brand manager has had a particularly bad week - certainly not the Social-Media exposure they were hoping for. Let’s hope they haven’t resorted to this to seek comfort. [DD]

— Source: AdAge / ‘Smoking Smarties’ Videos Create Blaze of Unwelcome PR

“There is no living with thee, nor without thee” — Marcus Valerius Martial

A marketing favourite, Mr Al Ries discusses the synergies that exist between basic heartfelt emotional attachment, being at the front of the queue and the overall influence each has on consumer supply and demand…

“What’s love got to do with it? Plenty. But you need to figure out how to create that love. And the best way to do that is to get into the consumer’s mind first.”

— Source: AdAge/…