Mike Rynchek
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

Yesterday, news broke of a Pepsi promotion gone wrong which has sent social media sites, blogs and news sites into a buzz frenzy. Pepsi, a signature partner of the new Yankee stadium, formed the Pepsi/Yankee spotter program designed to reward loyal fans with Yankee tickets.

After receiving the article from Jason Sanquist @JasonSanquist via Twitter, I decided to turn the topic to local promotion guru and CEO of Promotional Marketing Insights Hal Stinchfield www.promotioninsights.com to get his thoughts on the failed promotion. Hal has over 30 years of marketing promotions experience including working with Pepsi to create and launch their Pepsi Stuff campaign.

What do you think? Was the buzz worth losing a couple loyal Pepsi drinkers or is this a promotional and public relationship nightmare? Video shot of the disappointed Pepsi crowd. Are these once loyal Pepsi fans gone for good or can their loyalty be restored?

Mike – There was clearly a strategic communications breakdown on behalf of Pepsi. Any idea what may have caused the breakdown?

Hal – When consumer promotions produce sub-optimal results, or cause a public relations nightmare (like the Pepsi/Yankees Spotter Promotion), it can usually be blamed on one of three categories: offer structure, offer communication or offer execution.

The Pepsi/Yankees offer has fallen flat in the category of offer communication. Consumers clearly thought that all ticket winners would be attending exhibition game on April 4th. The official rules, however, state that there are only 100 Exhibition Game tickets available (and randomly given out at that).

Mike – Do you believe the Pepsi/Yankees promotion was misleading?

Hal – So Pepsi may argue they were legally correct – what they failed to realize was that they were “consumerly” wrong. When a marketer thinks they have made their terms and conditions clear- and the consumer doesn’t see it that way- it is still the marketer’s error.

What Pepsi may have failed to realize is that even though their sweepstakes rules may have been legal, the Federal Trade Commission may well determine that if enough consumers believed they were misled, they (the FTC) could argue the promotion was deceptive- and that is illegal. Hey Pepsi – if you want to start doing consumer promotions right (not just legal) – give me a call.

A big thanks goes out to the following for making this post possible:
Hal Stinchfield – www.promotioninsights.com
Jason Sandquist – Twitter @JasonSandquist

Brad Wellman
Spyder Trap Online Marketing

Spyder Trap Online Marketing is proud to announce their support for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. By teaming up with Smiths Medical, Spyder Trap Online Marketing will participate in the 2009 Walk to Cure Diabetes. The Minneapolis event will be held at the Mall of America in Bloomington on Saturday, January 24.

“The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is the leader in research leading to a cure for type-1 diabetes in the world. It sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

Since its founding in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes, JDRF has awarded more than $1.3 billion to diabetes research, including more than $156 million in FY2008. In FY2008, the Foundation funded more than 1,000 centers, grants in laboratories, hospitals, and industry, and fellowships in 22 countries.”

More information about the 2009 Walk to Cure Diabetes, as well as how you can register to participate or to sponsor a walker, visit their website at http://www.jdrf.org/mnnd.