I was thinking that some of the most important personal business relationships I have are with grocery stores. I don't think we always think about it, but you do need food to survive, and the grocery store is the one place where everyone shops. I am also a member of several grocery store member cards to receive discounts on products. I think that relationship really does describe an institutional relationship. Though product-sampling companies may not have an affiliation with the store.
I still don’t believe that P&G is breaking the FTC rules, are you suggesting that hypothetically, a company in a similar situation would be breaking FTC rules?
However, I also think being seen to be entirely above board is really your point.
I think the advice I'd give to any company in conducting any buzz marketing, or marketing research campaign, is that you should recommend participants mention their participation in the program if they describe any products with other people.
Matt, here I am not suggesting anyone force a participant to give out such information, as you point out, a company cannot enforce that.
John
I have some experience in marketing having worked for a number of a large organisations and I have been watching the development of "buzz marketing" as a concept over the last year or so.
Whatever the rationale provided, the intent is to create an artificial word-of-mouth (because word of mouth is the most powerful marketing tool). Word-of-mouth works only if the person giving the tip is genuine, another words, he is not a patsy of the company, nor being paid or given any other incentives. As soon as the potential buyer realizes there is a connection the word-of-mouth loses its power.
The proponents of buzz marketing want to avoid this and want to create the right environment by nothing less than encouraging their puppets to lie and deceive on their behalf. Whilst they camouflage their actions well with all sorts of rationalizations, the intent is exactly that.
They know that all they need to find is the right inducement and self-interest will trigger the right response. That is why Gary Ruskin is concerned and so am I.
Now under the morality of the market this is quite acceptable but it is less so under our traditional sense of morality for one key reason it destroys trust between people.
Commenting by HaloScan
