There are many benefits to collecting not so great company feedback, but there is one that might be overlooked by some.
I was watching TV the other night when I came across a commercial for eHarmony. It left me wondering if they are using this tactic, as the gentleman asks if the woman he is talking with if she is signed up with eHarmony, and she says she doesn’t have time to answer all of the screening questions. He quickly replies, “Do you want fast or forever?”
It got me thinking – I wonder if one of the trends they are seeing is that potential customers are saying that it is too time intensive to complete a profile, and this is what is keeping them from joining. The company could also potentially be utilizing social media monitoring to learn more about those using online dating sites, what they like and don’t like, and they have taken on what is perceived as a negative by potential customers and highlighted in their advertising, along with reasons why this makes them stronger than their competition.
I thought it was a great way to address features in their advertising. It got me thinking, and I tried to recollect other companies that may have done this. I will admit I’m not a commercial watcher (I tend to flip channels too much), but the only one that came to mind, though it was not quite as a success, was McDonald’s recent “ask us anything” campaign:
Unfortunately, this campaign was deemed “a little too late” for McDonald’s. They were under heavy scrutiny for a long period of time before this campaign was launched, and this campaign was criticized and was not as successful as the company had hoped.
The two examples illustrate a beneficial use of negative feedback or trends being used in advertising. If done at the right time (before there is a significant issue or viral publicity), and used effectively, taking what is perceived as a negative by potential customers and using it effectively in marketing campaigns can go a long way in marketing efforts. Done right, this is a great way to turn a stumbling block into a new customer.
