March 19, 2012
Posted by Reagan Ward
Brand Backlash: The Hazards of Heavy Handed Marketing
I don’t know what it was, but SXSW this year felt really sponsored. Don’t get me wrong, there have always been names attached to lounges and stages in the past. You can’t gather some of the most influential taste-makers, trend-setters and early-adopters in a central location and expect brands not to be everywhere, but there was decidedly more discussion about it this year. I think it might have had a little something to do with this:
(Photo via billboard.biz)
Is that a four-story tall Doritos vending machine, you ask? Yes. Yes it is. That would be the Doritos Jacked stage, erected to introduce two new flavors of chip in a new style (bigger, thicker, bolder). I’m sure the intent of the stage was, “You like Turquoise Jeep?! You will LOVE new Doritos Jacked!” However, the Jacked stage has directed so much attention to the sponsorship aspect of SXSW that it’s been rubbing people, notably the musicians involved with the festival, the wrong way.
Josh Tillman of Father John Misty has launched his own personal vendetta against the brand, calling the machine a “golden calf” in the middle of downtown. He even took to Twitter for his cause, promoting a mock SXSW panel on the Nautical Integration of Deep Sea Marketing.
(via @FatherJohnMisty)
But Doritos isn’t the only offender. Other musicians have jested at the seemingly increased sponsorship aspect this year as well. The War On Drugs nudged the fest in this tweet:
(via @warondrugsjams)
And Wavves made several comments regarding Taco Bell during his set at the Taco Bell sponsored Hype Hotel/Feed The Beat Showcase on Saturday night, including “Someone fed the beat too much.” He even had a couple of the complimentary tacos on hand to throw into the audience (but not before unwrapping and taking a bite of them).
The Brixton, a popular east side haunt, threw in their two cents as well (note the irony that the board itself is branded):
(sign at The Brixton)
So it begs the question: how much is too much? Is jamming a product into a popular thing worth backlash if it doesn’t work? I think the jig is up. Consumers are moving from not only being unreceptive to brands attaching themselves to things they like to being skeptical of them. As far as the vending machine goes, did it work? Depends on what “worked” is. Were people talking about it? Yes. Was it positive? Usually no. Did it move from being a novelty to a punchline almost immediately? Absolutely.
So what do we do as advertisers? I think the biggest thing we can do when choosing partnerships is ask ourselves two questions:
1) Does it make sense?
Are the audiences the same? Is there a brand connection already established?
2) Do I have to yell it?
Chances are if you answer “yes” to this, it probably doesn’t work as well as you wanted. A smart connection can be subtle and still incredibly effective.
I could probably keep rambling about this, but how about we open it up. Were you at SXSW? Did it feel especially corporate this year? Are you unresponsive when a partnership feels too deliberate?
1 Trackbacks
7 Comments
March 19, 2012
This was my first year to attend SXSW, and as a marketer I tend to pay attention to the different strategies being used by companies at festivals and events like this. Yes, there was a huge number of brands trying to ride the wave of up-and-coming artists and the hype that surrounds them. Do I think that it was overwhelming or in poor taste…not really. Though I do think that the overtness of some of the efforts made were not aligned with the spirit of South By, in particular the Doritos vending machine. When I first saw it I was blown away, but I did not spend a lot of time there. I can imagine that watching several shows with gigantic bags of Doritos in your face would not really ADD to the experience. Additionally, I can see how the artists felt like spokesmen for Doritos, which I am sure was not their intention when they signed up to play.
All and all, I don’t think the branding efforts tarnished South By to the extent that some are saying, but companies do need to be mindful of the consumer and what they are paying to see at the festival, and Doritos as large as LIFE is not it.
Samantha
March 19, 2012
Based on my experience: I tend to tune out people / ads / information when I have reached a level of information overload, however the form. Its only when I am curious about something that I will reach out for more information. Yelling does not make me curious. Pasting QR codes everywhere does not make me curious (in fact it infuriates me). And if it doesn’t automatically engage me, I am not curious. A large vending machine on a building’s wall just looks like any other vending machine around the world but bigger. What is the tipping point in which it reaches out to the consumer. Giving random people wooden nickels at the door of an establishment that is hosting a tequila vendor for a free drink (engaging)… giving out free ponchos when it is raining with your logo (engaging)… sponsoring bicycle rentals (by HBO… engaging)… giving free rides anywhere downtown (Maaii and Chevy… engaging)… Yes, the best things in life are free, but I would like to look at it as how are you (the company) helping the common man and doing something for the common good.
March 19, 2012
@Dionne – well said. The brands that I remember the most are the ones who created meaningful engagement. I was personally a big fan of Chevy and the FedEx Power Courier: https://twitter.com/#!/AdeleLaurie/status/178968176284012544/photo/1
March 19, 2012
The Brixton shouldn’t say ANYTHING. They raised their drink prices and cashed in on SXSW. Violet Crown didn’t do that….
March 19, 2012
Richard,
Everyone raised their prices during SXSW. If Violet Crown didn’t, good for you. They are a cool bar and good neighbors of ours. You have to remember that the east side is super cheap and people in the neighborhood are used to it. Go across town and you’ll be paying every day what we were charging during SXSW. We didn’t take any sponsorships& turned down multiple corporate parties worth thousands of dollars. All we did was match the pricing of the market around us which honestly wasn’t all that much unless you spent your entire SXSW trying to scam free beer at an RSVP party.
Hugs & butt rubs,
-The Brixton
March 19, 2012
I’d say it’s gotten a bit too corporate when I can’t find the listing for Red 7 in the showlist guide, because it’s not under “R,” it’s under “S” for Sony Club @ Red 7, and when venues that aren’t real venues pop up for this one week, like the Chevrolet Sound Garage, the Hype Hotel, the Jr/Main/Annex, the Studio by HGTV, the Pure Volume House, and the Fader Fort (which at least has the decency to be a temporary structure for a temporary event, and easy to find).
March 19, 2012
As someone who attended a concert at the bottom of Austin’s temporary hi-rise, I agree completely with the other Reagan
Inside was even worse. We’re talking jumbo shrimp grilled and rolled in crushed Doritos, I had 5. Drinks were served in 72 oz Dorrito branded cups. And, the ladies (probably hired from one of Austin’s best strip club) pranced around in 15 inch heels and skin tight leather shorts. It felt like Vegas. BUT, I was there because Ghostland and then Snoop played for about an hour each! Someone had to pay for it, and if that means I have to stand under a giant fat making machine, that’s fine with me. I’m smart enough to know it’s crap. Hopefully everyone else is as well.
Great post!
Leave a comment