I think we all know that consumers are much more likely to complain, speak out and be a kvetch when they are unhappy. It is much more difficult to encourage positive comments about a company or product/service. I remember from radio days that when we talked about something that made people really mad, we’d get tons of phone calls. Talk about something good? No one calls.

A company recently launched a campaign – Everyday Hogwash – to allow people to gripe about random companies and services they do not like. The aim was to build a meme of links about a phone company. This was pretty much totally unrelated to the product or company. The only tie in to phones I can think of is that people often use them to gossip with friends. The campaign just wanted to produce links to the company online. One person called it an “exciting new conversational marketing campaign.” I don’t see that. And, it turns out, after some consideration neither did that person.

One of the people running the campaign, Brian Clark, said that the intention is to be “comedic” and allow people to rant about their personal dislikes of “the shared experience of corporate annoyance.” Sadly, it is the campaign that comes off as comedic. Think tragedy.

If Brian Clark and GMD Studios wish to exhibit true prowess, that extraordinary ability to demonstrate their professional skills, then launch a campaign for their client that draws out positive comments about SunRocket, their product(s), or their services. Or, be brave – like Marqui. Seek out bloggers and have them post about the product on their blog. Take away the control and command. Be confident about your product. You will still get the links and buzz, but it is relevant to your product. And, it isn’t ‘you’ adding the term “Hogwash” to your client’s persona.

This is one of the problems I have with viral marketing efforts. They make some people think of PR and marketing as ploys and goofy tricks – not sound strategy. Some practitoners seek to create buzz, any buzz, and foresake the best practices of creating positive reputations and mutually beneficial relationships for their clients. It is all about buidling awareness – get click-throughs and links (that’s all good) – but nevermind the negative connotations that having a campaign called “Hogwash” associated with your client’s product. Publicity, any publicity, isn’t always good. That phrase is too often a sell out, an excuse, for explaining away bad practice.

Interesting, isn’t it, that this post is a kvetch, of sorts, and it is about their campaign? This one is fairly polite and (I hope) rational. So, is that even more damaging for a company – post that picks at your strategies and intentions? I would never have written it if not for finding their campaign.

Other Reading: Andy Beal’s post, SunRocket Giving Bloggers a Bad Name. Steve Rubel jumps on board the project as a judge, then jumps off when his involvement is judged unsound.