Our Dedicated Bookkeeper
MARKETING HORROR STORIES
A Lesson inWhat Not to Do
Every marketing professional wants their campaign to be memorable. They want consumers to take notice — or take the bait — and make their company a big profit. But sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned. The campaigns below certainly won the attention of consumers, but in each case, what started out as a marketing dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Fiat’s Direct Mail Disaster In 1992, women across Spain received anonymous letters inviting them to go on a “little adventure.” The letters stated, “We met again on the street yesterday, and I noticed how you glanced interestedly in my direction.” Fearing a stalker, many women locked themselves in their homes. A few days later, another letter arrived, revealing the identity of the “secret admirer” as the new Fiat Cinquecento. Yes, the creepy letters were part of a marketing campaign by the Italian car company. Fiat apologized and ended the campaign after criticism from consumer protection groups, Social Minister Cristina Alberdi, and the 50,000 women who received the letters. KFC and Hoover Can’t Do Math A shocking number of companies hold giveaway promotions without calculating exactly how much they will cost. Here are a few examples. • Back when “Oprah” was the biggest show on television, KFC ran an ad offering a free two-piece chicken meal with two sides and a biscuit for anyone who went to their website and downloaded a coupon. Over 10.5 million coupons were downloaded, and KFC had to give away $42 million in free food. • In the 1990s, Hoover Company in the United Kingdom offered two round- trip plane tickets with the purchase of a vacuum. Unfortunately, even in the ‘90s, most vacuums were still cheaper than plane tickets, and Hoover lost 50 million pounds in what remains the biggest promotional disaster ever. Cartoon Network Causes a Bomb Scare Guerrilla marketing can create valuable word of mouth — think about the success of the movie “It” last year. The marketing for the film included simple red balloons tied to storm drains. But Cartoon Network didn’t have quite the same luck in 2007 when they tried to promote their show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” When the network put electronic devices featuring a character from the show all over Boston, city residents thought the strange contraptions looked like bombs and called the police. This triggered a terrorist scare that ultimately cost the general manager of Cartoon Network his job.
At Risk Services/Insurica, we’re known for having some of the best insurance agents in the state. We’re a team of friendly, experienced individuals who find genuine pleasure in ensuring that our clients have the precise coverage they need to succeed. But behind our array of skilled producers are the employees who work to establish a firm foundation for our company so that team members and clients alike have the best experience possible. Our bookkeeper, Pam Glidewell, is one of these unsung heroes. She may not have many chances to connect directly with clients, but you can bet that she impacts them all the same. We’re certain that without her dedication and accounting expertise for the last 15 years, the company would simply not be what it is today. Lucky for us, she appreciates the rest of the Risk Services/Insurica team as much as we appreciate her. “It’s a small group, but a good one,” she says. “My favorite part of the job has always been interacting with the rest of the team. It’s one of the main reasons I’ve stuck around in this company for a decade and a half.” Pam also just appreciates the way that Risk Services/Insurica does business. “It’s a great place to work,” she says. “Even at the corporate offices, everyone is eager to assist you whenever you need something. And the management has been excellent at every turn.” Outside of the office, Pam spends as much time as she can with Gabe, her 2-year-old great-grandson. When she’s not with him, you can often find her reading the latest gripping Harlan Coben mystery or “watching chick flicks,” as she readily admits. When an employee has been with our company for as long as Pam has, we don’t take that lightly. We’re immensely appreciative of everything Pam has done for the company over the years and look forward to her continued service, as thorough and exemplary as always.
2 • www.insurica.com • Specialized Insurance Programs for Specialized Industries.
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