Do focus groups give honest answers?

McDonalds is one of the number one advertisers worldwide. You would think that all marketing and advertising would go through a focus group? One wonders if people who are asked to participate in focus groups give honest answers? Most people, are likely to give you the answer they think you want.

I was once asked to be involved in a focus group about cell phones. It was WAY back in the dark ages prior to the advent of the flip phone. Early days. One of the questions centred around my feelings about AT&T. I answered "American". The shocked administrator then probed further to find that I preferred to deal with Canadian companies. Again, this seemed to shock him like he had never heard this or even considered it. It was not long after that, the WWE (Then called WWF) had one of their most popular story lines of Canada Vs. USA. So clearly, many Canadians felt the way I did, but the company came north and clearly others did not voice their opinions. AT&T Canada didn't last long here.

So back to the McDonalds example, which came to my door:

A nicely printed, direct mail piece complete with full colour photo's and money saving coupons. One might say a slick look that should get some play with people in January when dollars are a bit tight after Christmas time. The word Crave is a nice word relating to restaurants and food, descriptive, yet open to interpretation. But one must also consider the impact of the film, "Supersize me" and the healthy eating revolution that has been the theme of media for the last decade. McDonalds themselves have tried to add some healthier options to the menu, at significant cost. Did no one in the focus group, or at the board room table, when considering fonts think about the VERY FIRST impression I got when this came to the door? A little correction tape and 10 seconds later it becomes this:

Did the play on words not come up? or did the yes people decide not to rock the boat? Add to that how quick a photo like this can make it's way around the Internet..... in a heartbeat! One must consider all the ways people have access to, to make a joke. Humor on the world wide web spreads like wildfire.

The lesson, be careful of your perception, be careful of your slogans and make sure that your words and advertising can not be taken the wrong way. Many businesses have learned this the hard way over the years, especially when translating ads into different languages. A bad decision on wording can cost more than the advertising itself and you may never get back to the level you were before the mistake. Until Next time, I am Larry "The Ad Man"

They can't say that !! Can they?

The recent fine to Air Canada by the U.S. Department of Transportation for deceptive price advertising had me musing about that age old line people say when they see an ad promise something it can't possibly deliver on. "They can't say that, can they?" In reality, advertisers can say anything they want to say unless government bodies decide to hand out corporate justice. In this case they did, in many cases, not. Why Air Canada this time?

Air Canada has been for many a decade an example of how NOT to run a business. It is a real life case study unfolding in front of our eyes for as long as I can remember. The only thing that keeps them in business is a lack of choice. They were a government owned airline and still today have all the advantages and history to keep a stronghold on Canada's airline industry, despite years of losses and the worst goodwill of any corporation I know of. Canadians from coast to coast are daily posting their disdain for Air Canada and its poor service all over social media. Travel agents across the country will tell you they dislike dealing with them on many levels. When this story broke about the fines, I could hear a collective cheer bursting out across the country. Yet, the company manages to have a healthy charitable side offering flights for Dreams take flight, dispatching flights to Haiti after the earthquake and most other countries in need. But if you can not offer a customer their level of expectation, then all of this goodwill means very little.

So back to the question, YES they can say that. There are few traditional media outlets who will turn down advertising with outrageous claims, and the Internet can be considered the modern version of the Wild West, with companies claiming whatever they want to. This move by the US Department of Transport to say to an international carrier that we DO pay attention to your Internet practices and if you do business in the US, you play by our rules, no matter where your web servers are based. They have that leverage. Many don`t. So for your business, if you have a monopoly or large control over an industry and can pay the fines, you can claim just about anything. You can upset your customers with poor attitudes, low customer service, bite the hand that feeds you, the people who sell your product, and still do business. If you don`t have that industry control, I suggest that you may want to be a little more truthful in your advertising and get your sales force, customers and governments ON your side so that you can be successful and make a profit. Not sure Air Canada will ever get to that point? Until next time, I am Larry "The Ad Man".