The fact is, consumers are chomping at the bit to tell companies what to do. Whether you are ready or not, they are now part of your process (Li & Bernoff). The Groundswell wants to be heard and wants to have a voice.
Are companies able to move past the need to control and instead listen to consumers? "Most stores and brands aren't humble enough to do that" (Li & Bernoff, p. 193).
How do brands or companies create a balance between having their own skill and also having humility to take into account the needs of the Groundswell?
Take Dove as an example. When they launched their Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004 they took a big risk with their message by using average, everyday women instead of using young, slender, models that they had used in the past and that other brands used. While this act was not necessarily a reaction to demands from the Groundswell, Dove was able to let go of some control to win over the Groundwell.
Dove was successful at taking into account the needs of the Groundswell while also maintaining the quality of their product. "And it worked --people were definitely talking about the ad campaign and Dove" (Li & Bernoff, p. 200). Dove gave real women a voice.
So, what do you think? Do you feel heard?
How do brands or companies create a balance between having their own skill and also having humility to take into account the needs of the Groundswell?
Take Dove as an example. When they launched their Campaign for Real Beauty in 2004 they took a big risk with their message by using average, everyday women instead of using young, slender, models that they had used in the past and that other brands used. While this act was not necessarily a reaction to demands from the Groundswell, Dove was able to let go of some control to win over the Groundwell.
Dove was successful at taking into account the needs of the Groundswell while also maintaining the quality of their product. "And it worked --people were definitely talking about the ad campaign and Dove" (Li & Bernoff, p. 200). Dove gave real women a voice.
So, what do you think? Do you feel heard?
Hi Hadley! I hate pacsun jeans, they are the worst. Besides that, this blog is excellent, I love the Dove Real Beauty campaign personally for the same reasons you mentioned before, I will never have a models build, it is just not in the cards for me. Corporations really do take a big risk with allowing and asking for so much consumer feedback and I too wish some businesses would take the feedbaack more seriously, and really improve their products. Great job!
ReplyDeleteAs a shopaholic, I understand how important it is to give feedback in any opportunity I get. When I'm on websites, I am always impressed when companies ask for your feedback about their sites. Petco.com has been having a lot of problems every time I attempt to place orders for my dog. When they started asking me for my feedback, I was excited to share my disappointment about how difficult the online ordering process was. At the same time, I really like that Petco.com has a live chat representative for me to talk to whenever I need help. It makes customer service more efficient and less of a hassle for the customer.
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