When social networking doesn't necessarily go as planned...
 

Or, "how can we make a more derivative Panamera?"
I wonder how things are going in Honda's marketing department tonight...

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/02/official-honda-crosstour-facebook-page-all-lit-up-with-early-neg/

I bet the insiders that were against this disaster from the beginning are having a good chuckle.

Looks like most of the rolling jellybeans out there...

It's easier to stomach ugly at $30k than $120k.

Needs a front fender vent.

Looks like Jimmy Durante.

Wow look at the voting.

Over heard at Honda marketing dept meeting

"...and we can put it on facebook, what could possibly go wrong?"

LOL!

Eeewwww

That car is amazing! Fog lights as standard!!

Oops!

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog....osstourlol.jpg

Yea, I can see how some middle management douche with an MBA read something about "the power of social networking" and floated it in a meeting. Look how progressive and "with it" I am. All the other managers didn't want to seem old and out of touch so they went along.

Oops. Somebody's looking for a job.

And, as long as you use the new term "social networking" instead of "Facebook", half of the people won't know what you're talking about. Stand in that same meeting and say "I want to put the new car on Facebook!" and you'll be cleaning toilets.

As a product guy, this really is my worst nightmare.

Honest question- if you worked in Honda's marketing group, what would you do now?

Blow up the entire page, threaten lawsuits against all of the kids that posted on it, throw money around to hide it, and then have Michael Jackson killed, to take away the media attention.



Oh...you said *honest* answer...sorry :p

Major damage control. Turn lemons into lemonade. I'd see if I could get it on every evening news show with a story about how we are listening to our customers. Quickly respond with an updated version based on customer feedback. The only upside here is free publicity as the talking heads are looking to pick up stories on FB, too.

They gotta take control instead of being the punching bag.

I'm a middle management douche with an MBA.

This whole social media phenom is something I've been studying with great interest for this reason. With broadcast commercial and paid placement ROI dropping, social media is the new frontier. Ad/PR dollars go MUCH further when "fans" of your brand spread your product message for you.

A good example is the new 997 SC video in another thread. I posted it on FB and already have non-car people commenting. They want the car now because they know I'm a car guy and I want it. Great endorsement. You're welcome Porsche.

Conversely, what do you do when you create conversation with the open market and they turn against you? You guys are quick to call people "douches", but the reality is that this is a pretty new frontier, and the douche in marketing didn't design the car. It may be the best car in the world- it just looks like crap. Thus- it wasn't bad marketing per se.

What REALLY matters is what Honda does next, which is why I ask the question- what SHOULD they do next?

Bingo.

Honda may come out of this a hero.

I would find an Internet Marketing Consultant Guy to come in and fix it. (Hey, come to think if it, I am an Internet Marketing Consultant Guy...!)