Many years ago in Ohio, the McDonald’s Corporation was the victim of a nasty rumour. The focus of the rumour was that McDonald’s hamburgers contained worm meat in them.
McDonalds tried to counter the rumour by advertising a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture which claimed that hamburger produced by the effected establishments is “wholesome, properly identified and in compliance with standards prescribed by Food Safety and Quality Service regulations.” In spite of these attempts to suppress the rumour, it remained strong. Later, a study found that 35 per cent of consumers learnt about McDonald’s worm only when they saw the company’s anti-rumour campaign. Another option to deal with negative WOM is to address it discreetly.
When people in the US perceived oil companies as greedy, companies launched campaigns highlighting the socially desirable things that they had achieved. 14 Perhaps you can do something extraordinary. In fact, some of the strongest and most frequent WOM results when a customer who has been let down is turned around by an extraordinary response to their expression of dissatisfaction.
3) DIVERSION
Another idea employed of marketers to deal with negative WOM is to release creative advertising to get consumers to think about something else.
For example, during the time period of the worm rumour, McDonalds could have advertised their cleanliness and the quality of their food. Here, without mentioning worms, the rumour is indirectly addressed by getting consumers to realise that a clean McDonalds is a wormless McDonalds.
15 For business-to-business and service industries, negative feelers are often a result of discontented customers. Compile your customer complaints, and check for a pattern. If a particular product or service emerges as the problem, rectify the problem immediately.
4) HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Companies who come clean about previous misdemeanours have something to gain even from the most dissatisfied customers. For fast food companies outlets most customers feel the company is ethical if they are honest about their employment policy and also the nutrition content of their food.
5) RECTIFYING THE PROBLEM
Compiling a set of complaints, and checking for a pattern can identify a particular product or service as the problem and rectify it immediately
EG: CADBURY’S WORM INCIDENT
After studying some successful buzz marketing campaigns, we can outline some strategies in buzz marketing. We call these buzz creators:
BC # 1: TABOO
Taboo is something that is not openly spoken about. Using Taboo as a tool for creating buzz can be increasingly effective as the marketer ensures that the message spreads through whispers, more so like enjoying the forbidden fruit. E.g. Viagra
BC # 2: UNUSUAL
Breaking the ice through creative execution can create buzz for a category with which such and execution is not meant for and seems unusual. E.g. Jassi in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin
BC #3: OUTRAGEOUS
Outrageousness for the pure sake of outrageousness doesn’t resonate too well. If you try to get attention by shooting
Gerbils out of cannon, that’s certainly outrageous. But if you push this button just for the sake of being outrageous, it will probably work—giving people something to talk about but without continuation – just a temporary phenomenon. The crux is that there should be some connection to your brand or product. E.g. Balbir Pasha
BC #4: HILARIOUS
The hilarious button works, but it may be one of the harder buttons to push—being truly funny is never easy. It can work to your advantage if done right, and to your disadvantage if you’re on the wrong end of it. E.g. Sony Ericsson (One Black CoffeePlease)
BC #5: REMARKABLE
A High functional proposition for any product is termed a remarkable both as a stand alone and also on a comparative scale. The very satisfaction of an augmented or even a potential benefit makes the brand a stand out. E.g. Harry Potter
BC #6: SECRET
Secrets are currency. Revealing a secret is a definite conversation starter. People love to talk about secrets, and when they do, they become ‘in the know.’ They become part of an exclusive circle, and exclusivity is the cousin of secrecy. Sometimes withholding can work better than flooding. Limit supply and everybody’s interested. Limit those in the know of a secret, those not ‘in the know’ want the currency of knowing—they want to be part of the exclusive circle. Withholding a secret can push people’s buzz buttons, and get people talking. E.g. GMail account
McDonalds tried to counter the rumour by advertising a letter from the Secretary of Agriculture which claimed that hamburger produced by the effected establishments is “wholesome, properly identified and in compliance with standards prescribed by Food Safety and Quality Service regulations.” In spite of these attempts to suppress the rumour, it remained strong. Later, a study found that 35 per cent of consumers learnt about McDonald’s worm only when they saw the company’s anti-rumour campaign. Another option to deal with negative WOM is to address it discreetly.
When people in the US perceived oil companies as greedy, companies launched campaigns highlighting the socially desirable things that they had achieved. 14 Perhaps you can do something extraordinary. In fact, some of the strongest and most frequent WOM results when a customer who has been let down is turned around by an extraordinary response to their expression of dissatisfaction.
3) DIVERSION
Another idea employed of marketers to deal with negative WOM is to release creative advertising to get consumers to think about something else.
For example, during the time period of the worm rumour, McDonalds could have advertised their cleanliness and the quality of their food. Here, without mentioning worms, the rumour is indirectly addressed by getting consumers to realise that a clean McDonalds is a wormless McDonalds.
15 For business-to-business and service industries, negative feelers are often a result of discontented customers. Compile your customer complaints, and check for a pattern. If a particular product or service emerges as the problem, rectify the problem immediately.
4) HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
Companies who come clean about previous misdemeanours have something to gain even from the most dissatisfied customers. For fast food companies outlets most customers feel the company is ethical if they are honest about their employment policy and also the nutrition content of their food.
5) RECTIFYING THE PROBLEM
Compiling a set of complaints, and checking for a pattern can identify a particular product or service as the problem and rectify it immediately
EG: CADBURY’S WORM INCIDENT
After studying some successful buzz marketing campaigns, we can outline some strategies in buzz marketing. We call these buzz creators:
BC # 1: TABOO
Taboo is something that is not openly spoken about. Using Taboo as a tool for creating buzz can be increasingly effective as the marketer ensures that the message spreads through whispers, more so like enjoying the forbidden fruit. E.g. Viagra
BC # 2: UNUSUAL
Breaking the ice through creative execution can create buzz for a category with which such and execution is not meant for and seems unusual. E.g. Jassi in Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin
BC #3: OUTRAGEOUS
Outrageousness for the pure sake of outrageousness doesn’t resonate too well. If you try to get attention by shooting
Gerbils out of cannon, that’s certainly outrageous. But if you push this button just for the sake of being outrageous, it will probably work—giving people something to talk about but without continuation – just a temporary phenomenon. The crux is that there should be some connection to your brand or product. E.g. Balbir Pasha
BC #4: HILARIOUS
The hilarious button works, but it may be one of the harder buttons to push—being truly funny is never easy. It can work to your advantage if done right, and to your disadvantage if you’re on the wrong end of it. E.g. Sony Ericsson (One Black CoffeePlease)
BC #5: REMARKABLE
A High functional proposition for any product is termed a remarkable both as a stand alone and also on a comparative scale. The very satisfaction of an augmented or even a potential benefit makes the brand a stand out. E.g. Harry Potter
BC #6: SECRET
Secrets are currency. Revealing a secret is a definite conversation starter. People love to talk about secrets, and when they do, they become ‘in the know.’ They become part of an exclusive circle, and exclusivity is the cousin of secrecy. Sometimes withholding can work better than flooding. Limit supply and everybody’s interested. Limit those in the know of a secret, those not ‘in the know’ want the currency of knowing—they want to be part of the exclusive circle. Withholding a secret can push people’s buzz buttons, and get people talking. E.g. GMail account