With the recent controversies over red Starbucks cups and holiday sweaters, retailers are faced with hard questions about their brand identity. There\u2019s an adage that says \u201cit\u2019s not what happens to you that matters\u2014it\u2019s how you respond that\u2019s most important.\u201d How a business responds to offended customers makes a huge statement about that brand\u2019s values.<\/p>\n
In the case of Starbucks<\/a>, the decision to replace their Christmas-themed cup design (which had been used for years) with a plain red one generated extreme amounts of discussion on social media. Joshua Feuerstein posted a video on Facebook titled \u201cStarbucks REMOVED CHRISTMAS from their cups because they hate Jesus,\u201c and it quickly went viral, with many people supporting him. <\/p>\n In the case of Target and Nordstrom<\/a>, both retailers fell under scrutiny for holiday sweaters that some considered to be offensive. Target\u2019s \u201cOCD \u2014 Obsessive Christmas Disorder\u201d sweater was criticized for being insensitive to those suffering from mental illness. Nordstrom\u2019s \u201cChai Maintenance\u201d sweater was attacked for perpetuating a stereotype about Jewish people.<\/p>\n Incidents like these are defining moments for a brand\u2019s identity. While Nordstrom apologized for its offensive sweater and stopped selling it, Target made no such apologies and continues to carry the item. The controversies raise questions that are core to business\u2019 values and how they would like to be perceived in the marketplace:<\/p>\n Is our goal to be politically correct, or to increase profits? Are the two mutually exclusive?<\/p>\n If the ultimate goal is profitability, then businesses do best when they are empowered with an accurate view of customer feedback, coupled with data about customer loyalty. Having this data will allow brands to understand what percentage of the online conversation is positive or negative, and the extent to which the negative sentiment will actually impact sales.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how it works. By using social listening<\/a> technology, brands can gain a thorough understanding of the conversations across Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. Applying a sentiment analysis<\/a> to this data reveals not only positive and negative mentions of the brand, but deeper insights into how customers feel.<\/p>\n For example, a business can detect emotions such as anger, disappointment, frustration, happiness, excitement, and others, and also determine the drivers of those emotions. In the case of Starbucks, Target and Nordstrom, the following questions can be quickly answered:<\/p>\n The key is for brands to be monitoring these conversations 24×7, not just when a crisis emerges. An established social media listening program ensures that brands aren\u2019t caught off guard by viral videos, and can immediately determine the impact.<\/p>\n\n
\n