It can happen to almost all brands at some point in time, but some are forced to deal with it more often than others. I’m talking about the love/hate relationship that can occur between your brand and your consumer.
Some products or services, by their very nature can be viewed as a necessary evil by consumers—often these are associated with basic needs like health care, transportation services, financial management, or certain government-related programs. That is not to say that these things can’t offer a pleasant experience for consumers or even one where consumers expound their virtues.
As a marketing professional charged with crafting the right brand strategy for your product or service, you likely have had to respond to brand performance issues, customer service interactions, safety concerns, or even an unexpected occurrence, such as an accident or something else that had a negative impact on reputation or perception.
In fact, many brands have bounced back from the nasty side of love-hate relationships. While history offers many examples, two very recent ones come to mind. Just this year, Toyota addressed an unexpected acceleration issue with their vehicles by immediately offering all of their customers a free fix to the problem and then communicating via broadcast advertising, social media and numerous other mediums, their commitment to safety and solving the problem. The company’s second quarter profits were up significantly. As for consumers and the media, trust is rebuilding more quickly than most brand prognosticators predicted, but of course, that will continue to be a work in progress. Does anyone recall when Audi had the exact same (acceleration) issue in the late 1980s? That brand has had a high performance reputation for a long time now, and it continues to grow.
So, how about pizza? Anyone who appreciates it (and that is a whole lot of consumers in the U.S.) is likely familiar with how Domino’s handled the love-hate thing with regard to its product. The company acknowledged via focus groups just how bad their product had become—even openly sharing consumers’ points-of-view about how Domino’s pizza “tastes like cardboard” and claims that the sauce was “nothing more than ketchup.” Full transparency and acknowledgement on the part of Domino’s has led to a resurgence in market share.
What is the bottom line? Now, more than ever, brands dealing with love-hate relationships can move the dial towards “love” by being upfront regarding their weaknesses and shortcomings and acknowledging that they can and will do better. Some of you are in situations where your brand is struggling with the lingering effects of recession or with the day-to-day issues associated with a public who has very high expectations of your product or service. Look at your brand’s shortcomings critically, and use them as leverage. Let your consumer know that the “child” may be ugly right now, but that you’re on the path to helping him or her become a thing of beauty (or at least much better looking) in order to make the future better for the consumer.
Think of these four steps to get you started on the right path:
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Identify the core negative issue(s)
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Craft your solution carefully by building it based on consumer insights, and then test it
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Acknowledge both the problem and your promise to consumers and key constituents to improve
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Communicate it broadly, frequently and through the right networks (Don’t forget mobile!)
Most important, monitor results while holding your own feet to the fire!
Look first to the audience segments who “love” your brand to help interpret and seed the message. Gauge your progress along the way so that you can refine wherever necessary and effectively move the needle with those whose brand loyalty you have lost. In the process, you may not win back everyone, but there’s a good chance that you’ll convert others and ensure that your best customers stay that way, becoming even stronger “love” advocates of your brand.
Scott Morgan is president and partner at independent, full-service agency Brunner, which has offices in Atlanta, Pittsburgh, and Washington, D.C. The agency’s clients include Bob Evans, GlaxoSmithKline, Cub Cadet, Huffy, Eaton Vehicle Group, Dewberry, Intelsat General, and American Nurses Association.