Lisa Donnelly, Associate Director
Did you get this notification yesterday?
Maybe not this specific one from ASOS, but you probably received at least one email or were served an ad from a brand calling on you to support “our” team.
Mismatched Messaging
As a proud Scot – and an experienced comms professional – I raised an eyebrow. The impression made by the Tartan Army at this year’s Fifa World Cup made me burst with pride, but I don’t remember receiving any emails from UK brands calling on me to support “our” team by buying a Scotland shirt.
I messaged ASOS’ customer service team to ask if they had tailored their audience for this notification. Had they sent it to American customers too? I assumed not, so why was it pushed to those in Scotland, and no doubt Northern Ireland and Wales? Their AI chatbot was very empathetic, and the customer service agent I spoke to was apologetic and assured me all feedback was appreciated and would be reviewed by the appropriate team.
It’s not the first time I’ve been on my high horse (with a cone on my head) about messages being shared with Scottish audiences without any tailoring. Recently, I saw a series of adverts on the Glasgow subway promoting a social media scheduling tool. The messaging worked well for the underground: “Don’t miss a deadline – post while you have no signal” etc. But one advert referenced “saving the stress for changing lines during rush hour” and I realised these were London tube adverts that had been rolled out across Glasgow’s underground with no research into whether they were relevant.
Targeted comms score points
Reacting to global events and jumping on timely trends is a key part of every comms strategy. When done well, it can be incredibly effective. Take Lush for example. Its flagship Glasgow store sits just behind the Duke of Wellington statue, and earlier this year it introduced an orange bath bomb called “hats aff”, which is shaped like a traffic cone and smells of Irn Bru.
This is a well-informed move – it taps into the tourist market given the product’s souvenir-size and the store’s proximity to the unofficial tourist attraction. But the consideration given to the name and scent takes it a little further – it’s been created by someone who gets the nuance of Scottish humour.
Knowing your audience when it comes to PR and marketing activity is vital. If you get it wrong, it can dissolve trust and ruin credibility instantly.
World-cup winning campaign strategies
Customers are far more likely to engage with brands that align with their values and priorities. Targeted campaigns are much more effective than one-size-fits all messaging. Next time you want to reach a specific audience, make sure you spend time understanding the nuance. Speak to individuals within the community you’re trying to reach, and check if your message will be well received.
If you don’t, you risk alienating a large part of your audience, and finding one of them has written a blog about it.
Looking to deliver campaigns that really resonate with your target market? Get in touch with Clark for strategic, tailored communications.