24/03/10

The four most beautiful words in the English language

There are a lot of different aspects to doing marketing right in the new digital age.

One is obviously engaging consumers in the channels, such as social media, that are newly relevant to them. And in the main, adland seems to be embracing this.

Another is to accept that these now empowered consumers are no longer our subjects, to be patronised or deceived, but our equals, to be both talked and listened to respectfully.

This one we seem to be finding harder.

For too many, the most exciting thing about channel explosion is that there are now lots more places to spread bullshit in.

Which rather misses the spirit of the thing, doesn’t it?

So we’re really proud of our work that broke this week, announcing the return of Dry Blackthorn to its Bristol/Bath heartland.

And even prouder of our client for running it.

The story is that last year Gaymer Cider Company decided to switch to a single liquid for Blackthorn across the country, which meant that the original, dry version still popular in the west country had to change.

This upset loyalists who felt they hadn’t been consulted, so they called for a boycott of the new liquid and formed a protest group on Facebook.
Soon “The New Bad Taste of Blackthorn” had over 2,000 members and was making its voice heard.

Wisely, Gaymers decided that the best course of action was to bring the original dry version back to the area this spring - and DHM was tasked with announcing its return.

Our advice was straightforward.

Don’t continue debating the original decision.
Don’t do the ‘pay up without admitting wrongdoing’ US lawyer thing.
Don’t come on begrudging or bitter.

Instead, engage directly and positively with the protestors.
Make sure they’re the first to know about Dry Blackthorn’s return and let them taste (and endorse) the first new ‘old’ pint.
Publicly applaud them for having the courage to make a stand.
And, most of all, express loud and proud the four words they most want to hear.

(Perhaps the four words we all most want to hear?)

You spoke. We listened.

So far, the return of the king is going swimmingly.

The facebook group is chuffed to bits, both that their beloved Dry is coming back and how their contribution to getting it back is being so publicly acknowledged.

(Here they are celebrating below…)

In response, they’ve changed the name of their Facebook group to ‘The Good Old Taste of Blackthorn is Back’.

And across Bristol and Bath, this Friday - ‘Dry Day’ - will witness the official celebration of its return.

murmurs has got an invitation to the party.

We will listen. And then we’ll speak. So watch this space…

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