Crazy Events

Has your brand ever been impacted by crazy events?

Two things can happen. Twenty years ago at Nordstrom, Oprah decided to bless us with a positive comment on her show and POW sales went through the roof on the item she blessed. For a while, anyway. Then it was back to normal, and the customers she brought in didn't come back and we learned a valuable lesson about "influencers".

The other thing that can happen is generally bad. I recall anarchists terrorizing businesses in downtown Seattle in the late 90s ... the WTO protests. They messed up a bunch of stores. Trade continued, regardless.

Or you could be Target. Sell what I tell you to sell, or I will blow things up. I've been telling you that merchandise is critical for nearly twenty years. Now it could get you killed.

I was once associated with a client that made a "blunder" according to the marketing folks. People lost their minds. When the brand analyzed sales performance over the next month, there was a very tiny short-term sales hit that was made up for weeks later and ... then ... nothing. No lost customers. No sales shortfall.

Do you remember Motrin Moms?

A refresher (click here).

It's always interesting to join the mob and go after something ... but then ... there's something new.

When crazy things happen to your brand, carefully measure what happens. Use the results to remind folks when the next crazy thing happens.