P&G Expands Word of Mouth Efforts

Using Tremor’s hard-earned insights on word of mouth (WOM) marketing to teens, P&G is asking Mom to spread the word through its new WOM venture, Vocalpoint.

After reading the Advertising Age article I sent her, my wife registered with Vocalpoint (media relations at work.). She just received her welcome package and I’m impressed. Vocalpoint strikes a careful balance using no-frills packaging that is clearly branded to establish credibility. This keeps the focus on the product samples which included Iams, Crest and Pantene Pro-V in this mailing.

But the service extends past P&G's house of brands. Other clients include WD-40, Animal Planet, People’s Choice Awards and ABC. The TV networks get input for their programming through Vocalpoint’s web site. For example ABC’s new show “What About Brian.”

P&G's role as a trusted broker, protecting the consumer while offering an instant WOM network to clients, has proven successful. P&G reports 225,000 teens and 500,000 moms have registered to date.

Mom WOM
The success of these programs are due, in part, to four characteristics.

• Simplicity: The Tremor and Vocalpoint sites are brief and concise, yet clearly branded as P&G ventures.
• Honesty: Vocalpoint’s FAQ is straightforward in stating it expects members to participate in the programs, share opinions and feedback and spread the word about the products to friends. “Members create their own word of mouth marketing campaigns.” Consumer-generated marketing anyone?
• Exclusivity: Members get access to items before other consumers and can help improve them before they hit the shelves. This increases their interest in a product and ensures a second wave of buzz once it is fully launched.
• Privacy: Privacy quickly becomes a non-issue. Privacy buttons and text disclaimers are constant reminders that personal info will “NEVER be sold to third parties.”

If anything interesting comes up during my wife's membership in the "Mom WOM Army," I'll let you know.

UPDATE: BusinessWeek details Vocalpoint here.

tags | public relations | PR | media | brand | television | What About Brian | advertising | marketing | consumer-generated media | consumer-generated marketing | citizen marketing | word of mouth | P&G | Vocalpoint

Comments

[A. J. Roth]

On Saturday, May 17, 2008, my wife purchased a bottle of Old Spice Cologne for me which cost $9.99 + tax. The Old Spice Cologne box contained a small cheap plastic bottle with 2.5 fluid ounces of cologne. I've been using Old Spice Cologne since college, and am now sixty years of age. I was completely shocked by this cheap marketing gimmick to take advantage of consumers. Someone might think you're selling oil instead of cologne. Your R&D and Marketing Departments are in need of major change. I will never again purchase or use Old Spice Cologne. I'm also going to avoid other P & G products, as your company's ethics are now in question. Your are a major dissappointment.

[Joseph Wharton]

I agree with Mr. Roth. I'm 30 years old and have been using Old Spice products since 7th grade. My loyalty to the product was based on two factors: first, the brand's reputation for quality and value, secondly, I just love the scent. Since the Old Spice brand was acquired by P&G the quality of the product has plummeted. Although P&G will deny it until they're blue in the face, it is impossible not to notice that the Old Spice of today smells nothing like the original formula. Until a few years ago, I was lucky enough to have several bottles of the original formula which had been part of a case stored in my father's cold storage business. These bottles dated from the mid 1980's, and were in excellent condition because they had been stored unopened in a dark, cool environment. Everyone who compared them with the Proctor and Gamble product agreed that there was a marked difference between the two. The original formula had a higher concentration of perfume oils and was complex, rich and spicy. The P&G Old Spice, while somewhat reminiscent of the real thing, has a somewhat sickening "diaper-like" powderiness to it. The former depth and complex notes of the classic fragrance are missing, and you are left with a diluted potion that just screams "Cheap!" To make matters worse, P&G has recently decided to replace the iconic milk-glass bottles with a hideously cheap plastic imitation. They have succeeded entirely in destroying a treasured American icon, once revered for it's quality, value and dignity. To add insult to injury, this new plastic bottle costs more than the glass bottle! So not only is P&G content to smack Old Spice's loyal consumers in the face, but they are also hitting them where it hurts...the wallet. Yes, the once revered Old Spice ship (formerly replaced by P&G with a sailing yacht...another disgrace) seems to be taking on quite a bit of water these days, thanks fully to Proctor and Gamble who seem bent on destroying this once mighty product in the name of greed and stupidity. If I were A.G. Lafley, I would fire the entire marketing division and work on restoring consumer confidence; but that seems unlikely to ever happen. Although I hate to say it, I will never again purchase an Old Spice product. I will continue to seek out any remaining old stock from the days when it was made by Shulton. Once that stock runs out, I will seek a new scent that, unlike the new Old Spice, still puts forth an air of dignity.

[Joel Fernandez]

Old Spice made a big mistake switching to plastic. The new bottles look so cheap. I don't understand why they would do something like this to a product that has been so successful. A bottle of Old Spice has been on my dresser since I was a kid, but I won't be buying the new bottles. Splashing cologne out of a plastic bottle makes me feel like a cheap sleazeball or adult film actor. Besides, look at the new terminology on the cologne bottle, it now says "Cologne Splash." They had to put this on because not only did they cheapen the bottle, but they cheapened the fragrance as well. "Cologne" contains between 2-5% aromatic compounds. "Cologne Splash" contains 0.5-2%. That's not a good way to treat your customers Old Spice! You're trying to pass off an all around cheaper product on us, after you raise the price and lie to us about not changing the formula. All I can say to you is "NO THANK YOU!"

[viagra online]

I'm so glad I remembered you posted instructions on the monthly onesies! Especially since you can't find the Old Navy ones anymore. These are MUCH better anyway! My little guy is going to be 2 mos on the 23rd, but I think I'll fudge and do a late 1 month shot so I have the whole "collection." TFS!!!