Blog Relations Case Study: GourmetStation
From Inc. Magazine:
Donna Lynes-Miller was looking to create some buzz for GourmetStation, her Web-based retailer of high-end food, and jumping on the blog bandwagon seemed like the perfect way to do it...
The Atlanta-based company's unofficial mascot is a fictional character called T. Alexander, an oh-so-sophisticated epicurean ... The character had proved so popular with GourmetStation's customers that Lynes-Miller and her marketing consultant Toby Bloomberg decided that the blog, Delicious Destinations, would be written in T. Alexander's voice...
But the response was not what the women had hoped for...
Hugh MacLeod, who runs Gapingvoid, a highly regarded and often scathingly critical site for marketing professionals, decided that GourmetStation's new blog merited special recognition--the Beyond Lame Award. Soon, GourmetStation was the talk of all the marketing blogs. "Horrible. Stupid. Insane. Worthless. Ineffective," wrote one person. "The ultimate in false advertising."
Welcome to the blogosphere ... They're heavily viral--one blogger links to another who links to another, and soon enough you've attracted a vast community to your company. A well-trafficked blog also can help generate better results on search engines.
But as Lynes-Miller learned, there's a dark side to the blogosphere. Bloggers, and those who frequent blogs, can be a prickly lot...
So Bloomberg began writing to the commentators. She kept the tone cool and respectful, and explained what GourmetStation was trying to accomplish with its blog. That led even some of its most bitter critics to take a second look at the site and even change their minds, says Bloomberg...
Lynes-Miller has no regrets. For one thing, traffic at her site almost doubled as a result of the controversy...
Meanwhile, T. Alexander's culinary adventures continue uninterrupted. "I didn't expect the negative feedback we initially received," Lynes-Miller says. "Though there was no negative feedback from customers--and that's the feedback I'm most concerned about."
Two things about the GourmetStation case make me a little uncomfortable:
1. What does it mean that many bloggers felt free to trash GourmetStation with abandon, while Bloomberg sensed (correctly, I think) the need to be "cool and respectful" in her responses? There's something about this that doesn't sound fair to me. If blogs are about conversations, aren't they ideally about conversations on equal terms?
2. What does it mean (assuming it's true) that GourmetStation received no customer complaints about the blog? Are blog experts so focused on the insular world of blogging that they are ultimately only experts on what other blog experts will think?
The moral of this story: Blogs are like opinions -- everybody's got one.
Bloomberg handled the situation well.
Technorati tags: GourmetStation, PR, Public Relations, Marketing, Blog Relations
posted by Scott Baradell at
12:30 AM
3 Comments:
Scott - thanks for the shout out about the Delicious Destinations blog and your kind words.
We knew that we'd get some push back from 'traditional bloggers' however, never in my wildest dreams did I think (some) comments would be so vicious. A few times I thought we were single-handedly pulling the trigger on the blogosphere.
Yes, it is true...we have not received one negative response from GourmetStation patrons. Couple of reasons: 1. Donna has a deep understanding and appreciation of her customer-base 2. the blog was intended to provide value-added information on topics that support the brand e.g., food, travel, culture wine. 3. patrons were familiar with the icon - T Alexander and it was done in good fun, good taste (ouch!) and in "blogging style" - complete honesty and transparency.
Bottom-line .. the strategy worked for the brand. We've since added guest bloggers (who are real people and the pundits like that!)- a wine consultant, a travel writer, a B&B owner from Tuscany, as well as, a reader of the blog.
All the best
Toby
Diva Marketing (Blog)
By
Toby, at 11/26/2005
I like Toby, but I must depart somewhat from her thinking here, as she knows.
I feel a Fictional Character, complete with false adventures, spurious opinions, and imaginary dedication, is the wrong spokesperson for the vast majority of businesses.
The most powerful representative is the CEO, Founder, or President.
Blog readers wish to contact and interact with real people. Think of the negative reaction to automated voice mail "press 1 for this", "press 2 for that" = customer alienation.
A real user or inventor of a product has high credibility.
The fact that no customers have complained is not sufficient justification for a marketing ploy.
Most disgruntled customers don't bother to benefit the offending company with commentary. They simply abandon them and switch to a deserving competitor.
Proof that a strategy works is not investment in it by concerned parties, nor lack of customer complaint.
The issue, the fuss is about the core values of blogging, real passion and real authenticity of real humans.
Blogs enable two-way conversations with real people, working together for a common goal: user satisfaction and company profit.
By
steven edward streight, at 11/30/2005
Steven: I think it remains to be seen what the customers of Delicious Destinations want in a blog. I'm glad different businesses are trying different things; that's the only way we'll really ever know what works. It's like the debate Steve Rubel put forward a while back re: whether Jack in the Box should blog. The supposed experts can offer their points of view, but the customer ultimately will decide. I personally have bashed blogs by Captain Morgain and others in the past, but now I say -- bring it on, the more the merrier. We'll see who wins out on the field of battle -- not at some blog panel discussion.
By
SB, at 11/30/2005
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