When Social Media Eats You For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Brands that continue on the “We don’t need social media” track are not only missing out on some great opportunities, they are also choosing to let their image be interpreted at will and even tarnished.

I’m outlining cases with Skoda and TATA Corporation, where consumers have vented on social media and found stupendous support.

Brand: Skoda

What happened, in a nutshell:

1. Unhappy customer (lets call him X)– car parts were replaced with inferior ones
2. X approaches District Consumer court – ruling in his favour
3. Skoda challenges the ruling
4. He complains on TeamBHP – India’s largest online community of automobile enthusiasts
5. Skoda joins this community and states:

I have been advised to inform you that the hosting or publishing of such information (which , does not represent all of the facts) would instigate both Team-BHP as well as the various users in the ongoing court case.

Results:

1. TeamBHP: 40,000 members
2. The thread was viewed 15,810 in 4 days
3. Skoda’s email is pasted on the homepage by TeamBHP’s moderator
4. Comments are fast and furious:

You can get the details here

Needless to say, this conversation extended itself heavily both to offline social media events such as BSMD and online on Twitter.

Brand: Tata Corporation

What happened, in a nutshell:

1. Dharma Dhamra port being constructed by the TATAs in Orissa
2. Exactly where the Oliver Ridley Sea Turtles come to lay eggs every year
3. Greenpeace protests, demands suspension of construction till proper studies are done
4. The TATAs don’t respond

Results

1. Greenpeace crowdsources the campaign – invites help from the community
2. Emails, videos, blogs, updates and tweets abound
3. Since there is no voice from the TATAs, conclusions are drawn at will.

In both cases a lack of understanding social media is obvious. Either the representation in the online communities was poor or completely lacking.

Related posts:

1. Avatar The Movie And Social Media Marketing
2. My Social Media Mantra For 2010: Empowerment