Digital CPG Blog

BrandWeek reports, “Sixty-four percent of Americans wash their sheets at least once per week and they usually celebrate with some small (and quirky) act of happiness. As some new TV spots from Grey and this longer Web video, via Digitas, show, that can range anywhere from making a “snow angel” on the bed to parachuting with the (freshly cleaned) sheets. The ads promote a new formula upgrade available on Ultra Downy April Fresh and Sun Blossom, which purport to deliver a week’s worth of clean sheet freshness, all in one wash. (The technology lies in new scent pearls, per P&G.)”

It’s great to see brands making their creative available online, especially with such a compelling theme. Who doesn’t like clean sheets?! The online video, however, points Downy fans to the brands Facebook page, which at time of writing had 242 fans, most of whom were not happy. Instead, they are complaining about how Downy has changed the smell of their favorite products. Apparently, the upgrade on Ultra Downy April Fresh and Sun Blossom also changes the smell – and users would prefer to have a smell they love for a few days than I smell they hate for one week. One customer writes:

How on earth could they change the original smell of Downy? We pay extra (even when something else is on sale) for that smell! What is the point of doing that now? BRING BACK OUR ORIGINAL APRIL FRESH SMELL! It is what Downy is all about! Yikes!

Some comments are close to outrage:

It’s rather distressing to have to LIKE this page when I don’t like the new scent… I HATE IT!!! I’ve used it for more than 20 years and this new stuff is disgusting! Yes, I’ve griped on the Downy website and will continue to sound off until you change it back… until then I am not purchasing any Downy products… …I don’t need the copy and paste reply w/ the 800# – just communicate the frustration all the way to the top, please? Thank you!

This commenter is referring to the fact that the Downy Facebook manager is using a mostly form reply that suggests customers call the customer service line to find a new scent that better meets their needs. But as one commenter points out, “Um, why would a loyal Downy user want to try a new scent? Isn’t that why they call consumers loyal, because they are loyal to a specific brand / scent?”

Hopefully, brands will realize that Facebook and other social media outlets are a common place to build and extend consumer relationships – not a funnel to the customer service line. Social media is the platform for customer service, product innovation and more.  Social media should be a place where brands and customers meet and have a cup of coffee together. The more brands stop making customers travel all the way to their house (toll free number, contact forms) and instead meet at a mutual location (Twitter, Facebook, live chat, etc), the more return they will get from their efforts. It’s not enough to show up and monitor anymore. You must engage.