You’re one of the more successful car companies – Honda, to be exact – and you have a new vehicle debuting this fall. To build buzz, you do all the things a good marketer in 2009 would suggest. You release a few camouflaged photos to pique interest. You create a teaser website to capture emails of potential buyers. You set up a Facebook page so you can keep fans updated. There’s only one problem. When you unveil the car, people think it’s ugly.
Not borderline unattractive, but Elephant Man/Shrek/Joan Rivers ugly. It’s the 2010 Honda Crosstour, basically, an Accord sport-ute/wagon/crossover. See for yourself here. And, we admit, from some angles, it’s a car that only its mother could love. That’s the problem with social marketing. You don’t always control the message so you can’t hide the truth.
So what should you do when post after post contains comments like “very disappointed,” “betrayal of your brand heritage,” “inept PR,” and (our favorite) “if I had a wallpaper of this car, I’d have to find a way to clean vomit outta my keyboard”?
Well, Honda deleted some of the comments. Not a wise move. Honda says it was only in instances of foul language, but now they look like oversensitive censors in addition to poor auto designers.
Now all of the comments on the Facebook page weren’t bad. One fan, Eddie Okubo, wrote “Interesting design. I would get this car in a heartbeat.” Nice, huh? Well, turns out Mr. Okubo is manger of product planning at Honda. Ouch. When this was discovered, it made the company look desperate and unethical. Honda immediately removed his comments and said that it violated their policies.
But the damage is done. Honda is now about to introduce a product that has tons of buzz, but none of it good. And word is spreading about the public’s opinion of the car. Very few people will spend $30,000+ on a car that their friends and neighbors think is ugly.
What can you learn from this story? Two things: 1) Even a company like Honda can get burned by social media if the product isn’t perfect. 2) The new wave in marketing may be viral, but not all viruses are good ones.
Our advice to clients? Don’t let your desire to jump into social media get ahead of itself. While there are numerous opportunities in social media, there are just as many potential pitfalls and problems. Being “cutting edge” is great. Being cutting edge while also being strategic and successful is even better.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Movies We Love
Around here, we’re all fans of cinema in one form or another. Though our tastes may differ, there is one genre on which we can all agree. Elusive and never screening nearby, it’s the independent film or documentary highlighting our craft. Design, typography, copy, form and function – many a fascinating plot has unfolded within the story of advertising.
A favorite and resident of many of our DVD collections, "Helvetica" is a feature-length independent film centered on the prolific rise of one typeface and the way type, as well as design and global visual culture, affects our lives. Love it, hate it or even notice it, Helvetica is a big part of our world. How big? Watch.
Also from director Gary Hustwit, "Objectified" has raised many an agency eyebrow. This feature-length documentary moves the focus of design critique from the page to the everyday, examining the form of the physical objects that fill our lives. The film has been screening in select cities since March and will be available on DVD soon. It is the second of a three-part “design trilogy” with details on the third film “to be released soon.”
Among the new and noteworthy, "Art and Copy" was released in August after several film festival stops, and trailers have us pining for a local screening. In the film, director Doug Pray introduces the creatives behind some of the most recognizable and significant campaigns of our time – from “Just Do It” and “I Love NY” to “Got Milk?” and “Think Different.” Hear the stories of how these radical thinkers influenced millions while maintaining relative obscurity outside the industry. It’s the ultimate inside look at agency life and the birthplace of big ideas. If you’re near us and you’d like to take a look, email gotinfo@artandcopyfilm.org to ask for a screening in Little Rock.
And finally, our favorite type foundry, House Industries, has a new film in the works. Details are few, but check out this preview featuring the late, great Ed Rondthaler and his thoughts on the clarity of the English language.
A favorite and resident of many of our DVD collections, "Helvetica" is a feature-length independent film centered on the prolific rise of one typeface and the way type, as well as design and global visual culture, affects our lives. Love it, hate it or even notice it, Helvetica is a big part of our world. How big? Watch.
Also from director Gary Hustwit, "Objectified" has raised many an agency eyebrow. This feature-length documentary moves the focus of design critique from the page to the everyday, examining the form of the physical objects that fill our lives. The film has been screening in select cities since March and will be available on DVD soon. It is the second of a three-part “design trilogy” with details on the third film “to be released soon.”
Among the new and noteworthy, "Art and Copy" was released in August after several film festival stops, and trailers have us pining for a local screening. In the film, director Doug Pray introduces the creatives behind some of the most recognizable and significant campaigns of our time – from “Just Do It” and “I Love NY” to “Got Milk?” and “Think Different.” Hear the stories of how these radical thinkers influenced millions while maintaining relative obscurity outside the industry. It’s the ultimate inside look at agency life and the birthplace of big ideas. If you’re near us and you’d like to take a look, email gotinfo@artandcopyfilm.org to ask for a screening in Little Rock.
And finally, our favorite type foundry, House Industries, has a new film in the works. Details are few, but check out this preview featuring the late, great Ed Rondthaler and his thoughts on the clarity of the English language.
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