Feature Video: Digital Citizenship
3:50 PM
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The .org domain recently produced a documentary about the use of the .org domain by what it calls "digital citizens." While I'd almost rather poke myself in the eye than see myself fumbling along on video....I was honored that SXSW4japan was selected as a case study for .org success, alongside the Occupy Wall Street movement, Wikipedia and others. I was interviewed along side my amazing partner in crime, Rob Wu this spring for this video, which explores how every day people have used the .org domain. I thought it was really well produced -- and inspiring. The slogan "Power to the People" comes to mind. We are featured at around 14:20.
For some reason, I can't embed this but here's the link to the video. Enjoy!
For some reason, I can't embed this but here's the link to the video. Enjoy!
The Digital Citizen from CloudRaker on Vimeo.
Labels:
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On Values, Hypocrisy and Customer Experience
7:40 PM
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My friend Joel once pointed me to this incredible
article “Do You Really Have the Balls to Change Our Food System.” The article
provides a reality check for people who think shopping at Farmer’s Markets,
Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s will make a difference in the way our food is
grown and produced. As someone who values the experiences those environments offer, I found the article
pretty sobering — not just because what the writer is saying about our food
system - but because she suggests that
if we really embody the values we claim to have, we must be prepared to pay
dearly for them. This may require us to
work harder, sacrifice conveniences, lose some perks, change our habits, and
even pay more for what we consume.
This hasn’t been the American way for quite some time now!
In a day and age where consumers have more power than ever
before, we be should jumping for joy at our newfound ability to stand up, voice
our opinions and join with others to introduce positive social and economic
change. At the same time, doing so does
require that we stand up, first. This requires
the displacement of apathy and the exertion of effort. It also requires us to take on an increased
level of exposure. With our newfound
power comes responsibility. So, we have
to ask ourselves whether we are willing to do our part.
But I AM active. I’m socially responsible. Really?
If you were asked “Would you buy a rug knowingly produced by abused children in a third-world sweat shop?” or “Would you eat a product if you knew it was harvested by men, women and child slaves who were victims of human trafficking?” most of you would emphatically say “NO!”
But the keyword here is “KNOWINGLY,” isn’t it?
Chances are, you can easily get both of the items above from any local store or national retail chain. It’s it’s the knowing will either force us to change our behavior or
defy the values we claim to hold. Sometimes not knowing is just easier for us. NOT
knowing gives us permission to continue to take the path of least
resistance. Not knowing lets us
complacently consume based on convenience, rather than by listening to our
conscience. Not knowing lets us continue in relative comfort, requiring no sacrifice. Truth however, often demands
change by searing the conscience.
With regard to your values, what do you DO know?
First things first. For starters, simply ASK YOURSELF whether you are
living your values based on what you ALREADY know - by judging what's "in the bag." For example, let's say you are totally against pornography because you feel it exploits women. Do you buy goods from purveyors of porn? Have you really checked lately? It's everywhere. Ouch.
Think about other purchases that trigger your conscience - maybe there are environmental, labor practice or cultural or other concerns that you see being violated where you shop. Do you buy from companies that support charities, religious or political leanings you are against? Do you invest in companies that violate your values? Do you purchase from companies that have policies you don't agree with? Do you knowingly consume products that have unhealthy or unethically produced ingredients in them?
When a brand supports exploitation, or promotes content that you find offensive, does that really impact the way you shop on a day-to-day basis? Is it a short-term impact or long-term? Maybe you are overwhelmed...and believe it's too hard to live your values this way, because the offenses are too numerous to count.
Think about other purchases that trigger your conscience - maybe there are environmental, labor practice or cultural or other concerns that you see being violated where you shop. Do you buy from companies that support charities, religious or political leanings you are against? Do you invest in companies that violate your values? Do you purchase from companies that have policies you don't agree with? Do you knowingly consume products that have unhealthy or unethically produced ingredients in them?
When a brand supports exploitation, or promotes content that you find offensive, does that really impact the way you shop on a day-to-day basis? Is it a short-term impact or long-term? Maybe you are overwhelmed...and believe it's too hard to live your values this way, because the offenses are too numerous to count.
When you are offended, what do you DO?
This isn’t a preaching session here… if anything I’m
processing as I write this article, because I’m struggling too. As I type this on my MacBook Pro, checking my iPhone for a text, here's at least one immediate issue that renders me STUCK -- between the desire to stage a boycott and the desire to curl up into a ball. Sound familiar?
Where and when do you draw the line? When a brand assaults you, do you grumble privately? Do you boycott brands and flog them publicly in social media? Do you call, write, post about the injustice or wrong you see? Do you rally others to the cause? It’s your right to exercise this freedom of speech and free market behavior… but do you exercise it? Do you believe change is beyond you? How do you choose your battles? What motivates you to ACT? When is enough really enough?
Where and when do you draw the line? When a brand assaults you, do you grumble privately? Do you boycott brands and flog them publicly in social media? Do you call, write, post about the injustice or wrong you see? Do you rally others to the cause? It’s your right to exercise this freedom of speech and free market behavior… but do you exercise it? Do you believe change is beyond you? How do you choose your battles? What motivates you to ACT? When is enough really enough?
Do you believe that your voice and behavior make a difference?
In an era of social media and rapid change, these are important questions to ask - and an essential ones for each one of us to answer. Unfortunately, while we should be chomping at the bit to be heard, many of us roll over. Many more of us are more content and comfortable in our ignorance. However, as we proceed in this manner, we unwittingly tell others our values do not matter. We unwittingly create markets for brands that exploit the values we claim to have and, in doing so, we leave room for nothing but exploitation and ridicule. We create markets for what offends us by telling companies that our values just really don't matter. And by turning a blind eye, we also encourage others around us to do the same.
What's so amazing is that it doesn't have to be this way. Today, the
power of one can be magnified by millions, if we only would do our best to really live out our values rather than rolling over. This applies to all of us. In an era where many people feel they are
not represented well by politicians and lawmakers — perhaps the most empowering
thing we can do is reclaim our power as individuals - and as consumers by standing up for deeply held convictions. I believe, when our consciences are seared, this is a natural outcome because light, truth and knowledge will compel us to act with courage and righteous determination --> and hopefully with love and respect for others, as well.
What brands reflect your values?
We all have different priorities and values as well as different levels of tolerance for the values of others. I don't want to debate those values here. However, as a CX (customer experience) practitioner, I am keenly interested in the connection between human values and the brands humans love. For example, Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty has brought the brand attention for its celebration of the female form regardless of weight, age or body type. Whole Foods voluntarily labels all GMO foods as a service to its customers. These are examples of values many people celebrate. These are examples of values that enhance experiences and forge bonds with people.
So, I'll ask you, reader - maybe easier questions to answer. What values to you celebrate? What Brands seem to embody those values? Is your answer based on fact and research or merely a high level impression? At your core, are you skeptical that Companies really live their values? Have you ever considered, as a percentage of your spending, how much business you give to brands that support the values you claim to embrace?
Hypocrisy goes both ways
As consumers, we often have little tolerance for poor experience and hypocrisy with Brands... but hypocrisy goes both ways. For example - we demand that brands embrace our values -- but we can't always have goods CHEAPER that are BETTER (quality, sustainability, feature rich) at the same time. Sacrifices are required on our part. Our demands have a price tag. Unfortunately, many people are not interested in making those sacrifices -- especially in a down economy.
Again, I'm preaching to myself. The values component of our consumption is something that each of us, as consumers - and even as citizens - must begin to weigh. As PEOPLE like us begin to do so, perhaps that's when we will begin to stop exploiting people, grow and eat healthier food, think more humanely, take care of our fellow man. Funny thing is, if our consciences are seared, change won't require extensive campaigning, government or legislative intervention -- because as we stand together, we can collectively eradicate the market for the detestable and hidden things that shadow our world.
Why does this relate to Customer Experience, you ask? It's because, when the detestable is gone, experiences become better for everyone - not just the consumer.
Why does this relate to Customer Experience, you ask? It's because, when the detestable is gone, experiences become better for everyone - not just the consumer.
Labels:
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Pottery Barn Kids - Email Program Lacks Common Sense
3:15 PM
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I recently moved to a new home. In the context of a week off I did some shopping for the home online and in-store. I surfed Pottery Barn Kids for some things for my son's new room. Unfortunately, I also signed up for email (to get a coupon) and that's when Pottery Barn began spamming me every three days. Really? Do people buy things at Pottery Barn every three days? Talk about feeling their own importance. Blargh.
However, the most annoying email I've been getting is what I will call "Big Brother Thanks You" emails. I seem to get them after EVERY site visit, based on my browsing behavior. They basically say this:
Okay. It's pretty and while it may seem innocent enough - to me, the experience is off putting. Beyond that, I betcha it's not real effective. Here's why:
A better formula would be to pick up on my category trend. I was interested in bedding. You'd probably note that over the course of my visits, I repeatedly looked at 2-3 specific sheet sets. You'd also find that I never pay retail - so you could have sent me a coupon.
On the up-side at least PB Kids allows users to eliminate "information specific to my interest" emails. I'd actually like emails like this -- but only when these emails are triggered based on information I volunteer. It's rather creepy having PB Kids decide for me, and bad when they decide wrong.
Further, it's wise to reconsider the 3 day rule and let people choose email frequency. I do want to hear from PBKids -- just not every 3 days. With the equasion above, my only choice is to unsubscribe to limit communications (I hope this works or I shall unsubscribe completely).
Really, this is a decent case in point: Just because companies CAN do something (e.g. watch my every move and record everything) doesn't mean they SHOULD use that power in a way that feels invasive. It's wise to think about what acceptable behavior is IN STORE and replicate THAT online rather than these kinds of tactics. In the end - business hasn't changed that much. People like service, handshakes, rewards, incentives and quality. Building relationship and affinity and trust is so much more effective than hard sell tactics.
Rant over. Think anyone will listen?
However, the most annoying email I've been getting is what I will call "Big Brother Thanks You" emails. I seem to get them after EVERY site visit, based on my browsing behavior. They basically say this:
"Thanks for visiting our site and for your interest in (insert product of interest with link). When shopping at potterybarnkids.com: You can read product reviews by other customers and share you opinion; Your satisfaction is guaranteed; Exchange or return items for a refund or merchandise credit; If youhave questions, you can speak to one of our knowledgeable associates at 1.800.993.4923."
The email includes links to other products that may be of interest, but includes no incentive (such as a discount or free shipping) that would compel me to buy said object. Here's a sample:
Okay. It's pretty and while it may seem innocent enough - to me, the experience is off putting. Beyond that, I betcha it's not real effective. Here's why:
- First, Thanks for following me around the store and watching my every move, and recording it in your database. I don't really need to know you're doing this - and trust you LESS now that it's clear you do. If an associate did this in a real store it would freak me out - so this isn't so different. The first one made me uneasy - the fourth one made me angry. Creepy!
- Second, I looked at MANY items during my visit. If you check, you'll see a trend. Why this one item was selected is beyond me. I didn't favorite it, put it in my cart, etc. Perhaps I stopped to answer a call and my time on the page was longer than others. However, I was looking at BEDDING - not BEDS -and not even these items... So your picker is wayyyy off. Irrelevant!
- Third, your politeness seems ingenuine ... because it's basically an excuse to try and convince me to purchase something - anything! Really. It makes me want to purchase. NOT. Fake!
- Finally, if you want to date me, you should get to know me first. Then perhaps you'll be able to make me an offer I can't refuse. Groping me on our first date won't get you what you want. Ineffective!
A better formula would be to pick up on my category trend. I was interested in bedding. You'd probably note that over the course of my visits, I repeatedly looked at 2-3 specific sheet sets. You'd also find that I never pay retail - so you could have sent me a coupon.
- We noticed you seem to like this bedding, here's $5 off, just for you!
- We noticed you bought (insert product)
. We hope you love it. Here are some items that go with it! - We noticed your interest in (insert product)
- . Just thought we'd let you know, it's now on sale. Go to it, you bargain shopper!
- You decide. Take $5 off any (insert item name - e.g. sheet set) for one day only!
- We noticed you once added (insert item) to your cart. Good news is, it's now on sale. Come and get it!
- Hey, Leigh. We thought we'd let you know that all (insert product category)
is now on sale!
On the up-side at least PB Kids allows users to eliminate "information specific to my interest" emails. I'd actually like emails like this -- but only when these emails are triggered based on information I volunteer. It's rather creepy having PB Kids decide for me, and bad when they decide wrong.
Further, it's wise to reconsider the 3 day rule and let people choose email frequency. I do want to hear from PBKids -- just not every 3 days. With the equasion above, my only choice is to unsubscribe to limit communications (I hope this works or I shall unsubscribe completely).
Really, this is a decent case in point: Just because companies CAN do something (e.g. watch my every move and record everything) doesn't mean they SHOULD use that power in a way that feels invasive. It's wise to think about what acceptable behavior is IN STORE and replicate THAT online rather than these kinds of tactics. In the end - business hasn't changed that much. People like service, handshakes, rewards, incentives and quality. Building relationship and affinity and trust is so much more effective than hard sell tactics.
Rant over. Think anyone will listen?
Adventures of a Stolen iPhone - A New Disney Tale
7:30 PM
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I took a little break from work this evening and noticed this shared post on my wall from my friend, Becky Caroll:
I clicked to find this album, which was created by a girl named Katy McCaffrey. I don't know Katy, but I like her style. This album is called "Stolen iPhone Adventures".
According to her posts, her iPhone went missing aboard the Disney Wonder when she was on a cruise. Recently, the phone began updating iCloud, with photos taken by the the guy who (apparently) stole her phone. His name is Nelson. He is a cast/crew member on the Disney Wonder. Here he is in uniform:
Evidently, here is his girlfriend, who works at the Spa. She is in many photos.
Here's a photo taken with the partying crew, including the Captain!
There are even photos from ports of call...
So the question is, what is Disney going to do about this pesky little issue? As of today, this album has been liked by over 7,000 users and it won't be long before major media gets a whiff.
I wrote a blog post, and Katy took the following action.
Good luck, Katy! This reminds me of the time my colleague lost her phone and we tracked it to the cab driver's apartment building, using the "Find my Phone" application. He returned the phone the next day - fortunately, he was an honest guy. Yet another example of how tech can tell on us.
Supercalifragilisticexpiali-Correction!
1:46 PM
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After last week’s article “Supercalifragilistic, TargetScrewed this Chat Up” I had an offline conversation about the piece with
several people who were “in the know” about Target. This post references that
discussion but I’m not sharing the specifics of that discussion in the interest
of those involved.
I do try to be fair, thorough and detailed in my writing. It was pointed out to me that, in my analysis, I missed a few key and what should have been obvious links to the Target.com landing page for National Princess Week. Gaining access to those links may have altered the experience I had somewhat, so I felt it was necessary to follow up quickly with a few notes about this.
Wall Posts: I did not see an obvious link to a page or area explaining what National Princess Week was on the immediate Facebook posts from the 26th. My first place to find a link to Princess Week was scanning Target’s Facebook wall and post comments. I read through two large posts with Julie’s picture with links to the chat and expanded the comment fields. There was another post that linked to Princess Bedding, a princess survey and a princess name generator post.
Sufficed to say, I didn’t look at all of the week's earlier posts, and it would have been right to do so. There were a few links to the landing page before May 26th. Simply put, I missed these because didn’t feel the need to scroll farther than I did: I was very much “in the moment” with regard to the day and the chat. Further, the Julie Andrews graphics were rather tall and took up a decent amount of vertical space – especially with comments expanded (there were hundreds). While I don't have a screen grab of the scrolling window I looked at... Further, Facebook has the annoying pattern of shifting post positions within the left and right columns. In some views it also truncates the number posts that display with a “view more” link and as content is added, it So, while I wouldn't blame any of that for my failure to dig more deeply into the week's posts....I'd assert these dynamics made it easier for me (and others) to miss things, especially left-column content due to typical eye-scanning patterns. Just an attempt to explain my own context as I did this work.
Here are the two posts from the 23rd:
Further, I need to make a clarification: I made an assertion in my article that there was no information available on the Target.com website regarding National Princess Week. However, this assertion wasn't made just because of the oversights I mentioned above. I didn't just look on Facebook's wall for information. When I couldn’t find a link to information within the Facebook wall posts I reviewed, I went to Target.com to find out more. I saw no obvious promotion or link on the home page, so I did a text-search for National Princess Week, which yielded this:
Further, as I mentioned in the article, the link to the landing page was not mentioned on the Twitter #targetchat hashtag, the posts of the day (the 26th), the online chat (before during or after) or promoted within the comments field of the day’s posts for users who had the same questions I had.
Here’s the post from the 25th:
Here are the two posts from the 23rd:
Cover Graphic: While looking for a landing or informational page, I also looked clicked on the Cover Graphic that showcased National Princess Week. However, the comments there immediately caught my eye and I did not notice the link present above them in the description field (highlighted below). Such is the hazard of multitasking:
I did have a screen shot of this graphic, but I inadvertently overwrote the master when I cropped it with the intention of calling out some user comments. Simply put, this link did NOT catch my eye or register - and the omission was unintentional. Not sure why I didn't notice the link --perhaps I was just distracted, maybe I didn't have enough caffeine... perhaps my brain was doing some selective filtering or I was having a bad day. Whatever the case, I should not have missed it. It was one of the most logical and obvious places for the link to be present, and it was there.
So, I’d like to issue an apology to the fine folks at Target for not digging more deeply and missing these links. While I honestly don't know that seeing those links would have altered much of my feedback, this was very unfortunate oversight on my part, and resulted in an article that was less fair than it should have been.
Further, I need to make a clarification: I made an assertion in my article that there was no information available on the Target.com website regarding National Princess Week. However, this assertion wasn't made just because of the oversights I mentioned above. I didn't just look on Facebook's wall for information. When I couldn’t find a link to information within the Facebook wall posts I reviewed, I went to Target.com to find out more. I saw no obvious promotion or link on the home page, so I did a text-search for National Princess Week, which yielded this:
Further, as I mentioned in the article, the link to the landing page was not mentioned on the Twitter #targetchat hashtag, the posts of the day (the 26th), the online chat (before during or after) or promoted within the comments field of the day’s posts for users who had the same questions I had.
So, taking this all into context, I did feel I jumped through more than my fair share of hoops looking for an obvious, easy to find link to the landing page with information about the event. I was very frustrated by not finding a link, along with other folks. However, it appears I didn’t jump high or look hard enough. Here’s a screen shot of the landing page for National Princess Week:
- The page frames the event in a relatively clear, highly merchandised and sales-driven manner.
- The brief video on the landing page from Julie Andrews touches on her books and core promotional messaging, which was a true missing piece in my experience.
- The page is not indexed in Target search which is very problematic.
- Embedding of the video is disabled, which is also less than ideal
In short, video could have been a linchpin piece of content for Target used in other channels. It would have nicely added more mission-driven context and conversation as embedded within posts, scoring more views, greater awareness and sharing. Disabling the embed code seems like an unfortunate choice, and I'm not sure what hurdles or barriers were present -- but I'm assuming there may have been some.
In closing, during the discussions I had, I was more than willing to own my mistakes. At the same time, I couldn’t help but stare at Steve Krug’s classic, sitting on my bookshelf, called “Don’t Make Me Think!”. While I stand corrected on my own errors – I agree with Krug. It’s never good to force users to go through hoops to get to your core message. I do maintain my assertion that the lack of contextual link placement on the 26th made it too easy to miss Target’s core messages – especially within context -- and I stand by the article.
Finally and in parallel, my experiences managing four events in 24 hours at SXSW recently brought home some realities to me that are relevant here: There’s a lot that goes into managing any event – online or offline. When a person works hard to connect all the dots and create a great experiences, outside criticism can feel painful on the receiving end. It’s important for critics and targets of criticism alike, to realize that most of us want the same things. We are all swimming in the same ocean and dealing with the same challenges:
- Immature tools and apps
- Convergence of devices, channels and services
- Managing internal conflicts and misalignment
- Communication breakdowns and challenges
- Coordinating diverse and sometimes difficult audiences
- Managing multiple third-party relationships
- Riding learning curves
- Dealing with the unknown and extenuating circumstances
Supercalifragilistic Target Screwed This Chat Up: A case study in what not to do with online events
3:06 PM
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Let's start at the very beginning... a very good place to start .... Every now and then we find lessons in unexpected places. Last Thursday, having the first slow day in several months, I stopped to check a few Facebook messages and noticed this:
Live Chat with Julie Andrews – I LOVE HER! Starting NOW? Fun!
From Mary Poppins the Sound of Music, to her appearances on the The Muppet Show, and The Carol Burnett Show and her films, including Victor/Victoria and even the Princess Diaries... I'd followed her all my life. Since I also track how businesses use social media, participating sounded like it might prove to be a nice little case study to me... so, I clicked to chat.
The chat was obviously getting off to a slow start. I couldn’t see how many had joined, because they didn’t display this in the chat application. Incidentally failure to show participant numbers not only violates commonly accepted practices; it’s a poor way to show the formation of a gathering. There was also Less than one update coming per minute! GRRR.... I almost left, but I really like Julie Andrews.
So I waited… A full 10 minutes and a mere nine (!!) posts later, part of me wanted to scream and the other part was rooting for the event and hoping things would pick up! I jumped in and out of the chat window (easy to do because it was so slow, I didn't miss one update). Leaving the browser window open, I sought some answers elsewhere for my outstanding questions.
What was Julie Andrews' relationship to Target and why were they doing this chat? A visit to the Target Fan Page reminded me that Target is promoting the first annual National Princess Week. The image provided no answers. It only triggered more questions (Right Click to enlarge).
"Okay, " I thought, "It makes sense to promote this event with the beloved, Academy Award Winning Stage and Cinema Actress, Singer ... and more recently, Queen of the Princess Diaries movies. Got it" However, I still didn't quite understand: What was National Princess Week, anyway? Was it something Target made up to sell princess merchandise? You'll note that I wasn't the only one who wondered about this.
There was nothing on the Target.com website about it.... Some people also complained that there was no retail-store tie-in for National Princess Week?
Eager to post a question or two, I went back into the slow grinding chat. Unfortunately, Target opted to use a third-party app that required me to log in with either my Facebook or Twitter handle. I am very conservative with apps on Facebook. I wouldn’t opt-in, because I didn't like the blanket permissions Target's suggested third-party app offered, including posting comments to Facebook on my behalf. Yeah. No thanks!
NEXT, I jumped back into the chat, which continued to grind painfully ahead. I learned nothing surprising. Lots of light questions with simple answers… Her favorite things include tea, roses, poodles, crunchy peanut butter, is proud of her daughters and delighted with her grand children. She has favorite moments, ice cream, etc. She seems enchanting and writes like I would imagine she speaks. Lovely.
However, I wasn’t really learning anything deeper about Julie Andrews. I also couldn’t help but continue to wonder what her stake in this event was.... AND THEN... 23 minutes in to the 45 minute chat, Dame Andrews mentioned her writing with her daughter and posted a link to her website! "Huzzah!" I thought! "Maybe I can find some answers there!" I clicked immediately and here’s what I got:
Criminy! A 500 internal server error message. I refreshed about five times... and got the error each time. I jumped back into Tweet Deck and did an @Target #Targetchat tweet, asking them to tell Julie about the problem. Unfortunately, no one seemed to be moderating the promoted Twitter hashtag, so I have no idea if that comment was shared with Ms. Andrews' team, or not. I got the error for 5-10 minutes.
I was, at this point, rather flabbergasted by the mismanagement of this event. From this unfortunate problem, to the very poor event moderation, to the chat application Target had selected, to the fragmentation of the experience between Twitter and Facebook, to the arduous and slow discussion going on -- it was all just so poorly executed! The strategist in me did a forehead slap.
I jumped back into to the Target Facebook page, where I noticed more problems. First, I noticed someone posting on Target’s wall that the chat application they used by “CoverIt Live” (by Demand Media) wasn’t working.
Okay, that sounds good, right? A decent number of people sharing... commenting? WRONG…. Here’s what I saw in the comments fields…
As if Chat Application vs. Twitter Chat confusion wasn’t enough – people were trying to use the comments fields within Target's Wall Posts as a kind of Chat Window - and Target wasn't monitoring or moderating any of this feedback to redirect people to the right place, either!!
Further, if you read through them yourself, you’ll see that many not only asked great questions, but others complained their questions hadn’t been answered - or were deleted!
A large number of people in this audience didn’t understand that they needed to click to participate -- or use the chat application. People came - but they could not participate in the event! It would have been so easy to engage these people. So much for community management! Fortunately, there was a least one tenacious user:
While the chat slightly improved the last six minutes or so... it never really got going to begin with. Ms. Andrews' answers were polite, positive, light and witty but they had little-to-nothing to do with "National Princess Day” -- so I still didn't know what it was all about. I certainly wasn't alone, as this user graphically points out:
Outside of finding out that her favorite song in Mary Poppins was “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” (spelling), I just wasn't sure what we were accomplishing here. Jumping back into my other open tab, I refreshed the link to Julie’s website and the site opened for me. FINALLY - 30 minutes into a 45 minute chat, I began to connect some dots.
While I found her site a bit difficult to navigate, getting into it made Target’s promotion with Julia make a lot more sense to me. That's when the true failure of this promotional effort became crystal clear.
- Julie Andrews actually started National Princess Day in collaboration with Disney and Target.
- She has also co-authored a series of books with her daughter, Emma, and has published her own songs and poetry for children, which are highlighted on the site, along with other recommended books and authors. (The writing did come up during the chat but wasn't eminently clear what books they wrote, what the focus of them were, etc. One line is even a series of princess books.)
- Julie and Emma's books, poetry, songs and lullabies are also for sale in Target Stores - and they have Apps, too. This was not promoted AT ALL during the chat -- I had to do a shopping search on Target to figure this out. They certainly didn't need to make this a sales chat but highlighting this once would have been quite logical and fitting, considering the context.
- The website has all kinds of fun tips and ways to celebrate National Princess Week, creating memories with your kids and teaching important moral lessons. So many cute ideas... also not mentioned in the chat.
- Ms. Andrews and her daughter recently released their new book, "The Very Fairy Princess 3: Here comes the Flower Girl" which was mentioned by a user during the chat event -- but to which no links for browsing or purchasing were shared.
- Julie and Emma also have a Facebook Fan Page, which wasn't promoted or showcased during the event. Unfortunately, neither the new book OR the Facebook page were promoted during the event. And the Facebook page itself failed to promote the chat event with Target.
In the 50 minutes that transpired, there were less than 1.5 comments per MINUTE. There were gaps of 2-3 minutes between posts, and outside of Julie and Target’s comments, there were only 36 unique active participants (active chatters who posted questions). I have no idea how many inactive participants, or “lurkers” there were because this view was blocked by the chat application administrator. However, in parallel to the chat, there seemed to be hundreds posting on the Facebook wall and comments fields – all quite lost and unattended by Target.
This isn’t Julie Andrew's fault, at all. In fact, I’d say she was the spoonful of sugar that made it tolerable for me to hang in there for more than 2 minutes. I find her practically perfect in every way - to the point that I'm a bit intimidated to issue any criticism. less it be misconstrued by Ms. Andrews or her daughter. I don't mean to be ungracious, here.
Unfortunately for Ms. Andrews, due to Target's mishandling of this situation, they were unsuccessful in effectively promoting National Princess Week, her mission to help build self-esteem in young girls and to get children to read, or to make participants aware of products and materials that could make the celebration even better. Further, the audience was unable to make those new, fresh, positive associations to Ms. Andrews, Target or Disney that should have been easy to make! A missed opportunity, really.
I'm not saying this from a high horse... in this confusing era of apps and social tools -- we're all learning at some extent -- especially as these channels converge and complicate communication. However, I expect that a giant like Target would have done the basics much better. I expected they would know better, and I hope they learn from the event instead of shuffling it under a reasonably priced Princess rug.
The fact that I stayed on to write a post about this on a perfectly great beach day is a testament to the weak nature of this promotion. It was such a good case study in "what not to do" for online event management, I may even write a follow-up post that highlights what can be done to make your online event a smashing success - online and offline. But not on a day off...or when I have clients to serve! ;-) Back to the real work.
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LEIGH DURST
I’m Leigh Durst, a 20 year veteran in business, operations, customer strategy, ecommerce, digital & social media and marketing. Simply put, I’m a strategist that helps companies (start-up to blue chip) achieve business shift, create more compelling online and offline experiences. I also write, speak and teach about experience design and next-generation business. I’m a futurist, visionary, strategist, doer and connector with a passion for people and helping others. When I’m not on the road, you’ll find me in the San Francisco bay area, working, beaching it and hanging out with my family and dog.
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