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Dear CMO: A large part of the dust storm has settled at this point over the now infamous Aqua Teen Hunger Force case study in how not to execute a campaign and wow your client. I won't rehash the facts of the case, which are all-too-well-known at this point. The point of introspection is this: being clever isn't the point -- being smart is....
As mentioned over at Note to CMO getting yourself out of a mess is never easy, fun, or taken for granted. If you screw up, I think we can all agree that four things should top your to-do list:
1. Acknowledge that you screwed up.
2. Apologize. Mean it. You can use a bit of humor, you can be yourself, but admit you ruffled feathers a bit and be a genuine, contrite guy about it.
3. Fix the problem.
4. Communicate how well the fix worked after the initial 'shock and awe' of your screw up has died down.
We can equally agree, I hope, that becoming an instant comedian and doing a poorly conceived stand up routine outside of the courthouse would be a poor choice. Similarly, you might refrain from making fun of the police, the fire department, various public officials, or other encarnations of "the man" who have superior leverage over you, your boss, your shareholders, or your public.
You, as a marketing professional -- either as a brand marketer or as an agency -- have a responsibility to your stakeholders. You are paid to make good business decisions that not only produce positive financial results for your comany but also create positive feelings about your brand in your market. The wheels fell off this particular program not because the idea was bad -- we can debate that another time -- but because no one, from the agency to the client, thought through what might go wrong. No one wondered whether a device with a power supply, a circuit board, and a duct-tape wrapped volume of stuff might be misconstrued as an explosive, for example. I guess proper project management wasn't edgy enough. And now, people are paying with their jobs.
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Key Takeaways:
> When you, as the brand, sign your name to an agency's work order authorizing them to do work for you and get paid to do it, you are responsible. Do something stupid and expect to get a sharp reprimand. Do something inexplicably stupid and expect to get fired.
> If you're an agency, you are being hired to not only come up with very clever ways to break through the messaging clutter in the market, but to think through things that your client wouldn't or couldn't or shouldn't know. You're paid to know stuff. How to get things done right. You're not paid to do half a job -- like coming up with a clever idea that looks like a bomb, for example.
> And by all means, if you screw up, return to "smart" as quickly as possible. If you screw up, tell the cameras that you thought this was a very clever idea to break through the intense advertising clutter, and -- gosh -- you really didn't connect the dots that a power supply connected to a circuit board with a blob on the back wrapped in duct tape might look like a bomb. Offer to buy new bullet proof vests for the guys on the PD, do some pro bono ad work for their Boosters Club, and APOLOGIZE FOR THE TROUBLE. Was I shouting? Sorry.
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We've probably heard the last of this episode at this point. Frankly, it would have disappeared fairly quickly from the national stage had the two "creatives" not gone on TV and made complete fools of themselves. Turner, belatedly, is now talking about how many hundreds of thousands of dollars they're going to hand over and what damange control they can do. A bit late, but the right move.
A cautionary tale? Oh, yes, definately. Ask "what can go wrong" next time. And if you screw up, return to smart as quickly as possible.
Regards.
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Comments
"Turner, belatedly, is now talking about how many hundreds of thousands of dollars they're going to hand over and what damange control they can do. A bit late, but the right move."
True, and it's the ONLY move they could have made that had the capacity to make the issue go away. Nice to see they at least noticed that.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 02.02.07
But seriously - had you ever heard of Aqua Teen? Now you blogged about it for the whole blogosphere to see. Whatever they did, it worked for brand name recognition and awareness. Millions of people know them that didn't - that's a good thing when your movie is coming out.
Posted by: Matt Antonino | 02.02.07
Here's another takeaway for the client: be careful who you hire to represent your brand. Watching Beevis and Butthead's performance art "press conference" would have made me cringe if I were Turner. Not cool. Not ballsy. In fact, not smart in any sense. Just plenty stupid.
In case anyone missed it, here's what I am referring to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJkTNJ7BM9I
Posted by: Ann Handley | 02.02.07
In regards to Matt's comments above regarding exposure -- he's right. But at what price to the entire profession and to the wrong audience? Aqua Teen is not, from what I understand, a mass product--like Pepsi or Snickers. It has a passionate niche fan base and may have increased that fan base's size but at the cost of upsetting and inconveniencing an entire city?
My concern is just how bad marketers look to consumers now. We don't need a worse rep. But hey, they'll sell more tix.
I see marketers--being that our products are exposed to the masses--as being responsible to build better brands, responsible programs and contribute to the industry. Perhaps that's naive; but I'm sticking to it and working for my clients to do the same.
I'm just amazed that marketers see this as a "brilliant" move (that's some of the feedback around the 'sphere). I see it as short-term gain for exposure, long-term harm for the profession.
Posted by: CK | 02.02.07
Ann -
Wow.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 02.02.07
Ann-
and what about the attorney? how clueless was he?
i was glad to see that turner stepped up with the ad in the boston globe and is having discussions about restitution. i can't believe that the panic in boston was deliberate, but, deliberate or not, panic ensued and they need to take responsibility.
great article, stephen. love the approach of the note to the cmo here and on your blog.
Posted by: Anne | 02.02.07
Cam, Ann & All: Didn't that video just make you feel they were disrespecting us all? (not just the press). While not a Bostonian, I felt they were personally using their spotlight to mock us...and tank the profession. Remember, a lot of consumers will understand THAT performance = ALL marketers. We're in a bubble and know the pros from the idiots...let's remember consumers aren't in that bubble and now have that piece to view--now and forever.
P.S.: Ann, this made me cringe and I have no affiliation with Turner (ha!)
Posted by: CK | 02.02.07
Ann, Cam: Yeah, wow.
I was in their corner--until those idiots opened their mouths. Had they shown even the slightest inkling of humility or said something--anything--based on principle (artistic license, creative freedom, constitutionally protected speech... heck, even anarchist ideology), I would still be with them.
They instead proved that they are merely spoiled, entitled children who do not grasp the concept of "consequences."
Maybe some time in jail would give them perspective.
Posted by: Vahe | 02.02.07
Anne -- I know! Wasn't that attorney interesting? Somewhere between embarrassed and frustrated, and pretending he wasn't there. The thought bubble above his head should say, "Four years of law school for THIS?!"
Cam, CK, Vahe -- Me, too. On all.
I was totally in sympathy for the artist-as-pawn/victim in this corporate game. But I agree with you, V.... they came off as childish and spoiled, with no values.
Posted by: Ann Handley | 02.02.07
All:
I don't think Aqua Teen Whatever gained one additional viewer from this. And I'll bet they lost more than a few potential advertisers. None of this rebounded to their credit, in my opinion.
I'm sure I said this somewhere, but none of this was even remotely interesting to me until I saw the press conference. That's what set me off.
Kudo's to Turner CEO for stepping up, though. (He must be a secret reader -- just like Rupert!)
Posted by: Stephen Denny | 02.02.07
Who cares about Aqua Teen Yada Yada. Don't you think that we've gotten way too paranoid with all this terrorism stuff? I know we need to protect our nation and its citizens, but my gosh, how about a little restraint and investigation before we make a cartoon into a national crisis.
Posted by: Dawud Miracle | 02.03.07
... as a tombstone on this case study, consider this:
Turner is now talking not about how many "hundreds of thousands" they'll spend to make things right.
The tally is now at $2 million.
Posted by: Stephen Denny | 02.07.07
Not finished yet, apparently:
The Cartoon Channel CEO just got the axe.
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash.htm
Posted by: Stephen Denny | 02.09.07
One more post-script... this is just too funny:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/281jwoak.asp
Posted by: Ann Handley | 02.14.07