Several services and tools for companies to listen and to measure sentiment towards their company have emerged.  These platforms have a synaptic understanding of posts made on forums and social media that leads to an overall measure of sentiment.  This is especially valuable for a large enterprise who may lack the resources to monitor and respond to every post across the web.  

A recent search on the website Amplicate I took a moment to conduct searches for some major brands.  A search for Walmart was revealing.  People certainly love to hate Walmart.  It was interesting, however, that the second listing under the brand for Walmart is the cult favorite People of Walmart, a site that accepts photos submitted of people shopping in Walmart that are dressed, well, in only a way that a Walmart shopper can dress.  

The search serves as both a challenge to companies like Walmart who need to continue to leverage listening and engaging platforms that allow them to more quickly and surgically approach negative sentiment online, as well as creatively engage those who are hijacking their brand- even when it is funny.   

This past week while checking in on my Tweeps on my SacBizTweets list on Twitter I discovered a very interesting post.  One of Sacramento’s leading hospitals and care providers (deliverers of both of my children) had tweeted about some health and food advice.  Following the link back to their website I was immediately assaulted with a pop-up requiring me to acknowledge that they were not responsible for any harm caused me by their advice.

I momentarily paused at what type of potato recipe could be just that bad.

While I can certainly acknowledge the complications of a health provider providing health advice, I must say I sympathize with the marketers and their lost battle with their legal department.

When marketing it is always advisable to speak transparently.  Deals and offers that come with too many strings attached always leave customers bewildered and painted into a corner.  My encounter was certainly unique, dealing with a legal disclaimer before I can read a recipe, but we can all be guilty of similar practices.

Open and honest communications will plant the seeds of good will that reap long-term customers.  

Have you ever encountered frustrating marketing communications?