The Big Fat Marketing Blog

While I’m subscribed to the email lists of several members-only sales sites, I have to say I’ve never really gotten into the swing of the concept.

Most of them seemingly offer amazing deals on designer goods, but I’m never quite sure if the “deals” really are deals, since 95% of the time I’ve never bought or priced out anything by any of the high-end brands offered.

So, when I saw the banner ad for Deniath, I was intrigued. This, I thought, might finally be a sale site up my decidedly nerdy alley.

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Sears.com accidentally sold 16GB iPads for $69 on its site last week, according to CNN. And one customer said she was shocked when Sears cancelled the order after it was approved and confirmed by the merchant and by PayPal.

If you were the merchant in this situation, how would you handle it? more

It’s July, and it’s really, really hot outside.

Yeah, yeah, I know this isn’t exactly a newsflash to anyone. But I feel like someone should tap some of the major restaurant chains on the shoulder and remind them that when it is hot out, people don’t like to cook. And when they don’t want to cook, they want to get takeout, making it the perfect time for email offers for dinner specials and discounts.

My inbox has been starving for such offers. I typically love to cook, but since we don’t have air conditioning at home, I’m loathe to fire up the stove when temps shoot past 85-90 degrees. Luckily, my husband is very skilled in the art of take-out-food-pickuppery (it’s one of the reasons I married him).

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Are you a man living with PMS? It’s an attention-grabbing question, especially if you consider the source, the California Milk Processor Board. The group is the creator of the Got Milk? campaign to market the sale of milk made in The Golden State.

The campaign is a play on men’s challenging times of the month that correlate to their significant other’s time of the month … if you know what I mean. To make it a bit clearer, the name of the program is “Everything I Do Is Wrong.” more

I wrote last week about Waffle House’s QR code faux pas. Now I’ve got to write about a positive experience.

I was at a family gathering in Virginia this weekend and decided I wasn’t going to put work in the way. Then we all went to breakfast at a Cracker Barrel on Sunday morning and my inner geek shined through. I had to scan the QR code that was on the table display and become a fan of the restaurant/country store on Facebook.

Cracker Barrel’s message was clear as can be: Scan the code, Like them on Facebook and check back for future promotions. And that’s how simple QR code promotions should be.

Brands can line up all the tools they want to give themselves an edge in social media. But sometimes the lesson is that no matter how much you spend, you can’t control the end result.

McDonald’s has a very effective Twitter program in place, and they use it to great effect, both to get people talking about their new menu items and campaigns and to add a very personal level of customer care when things go wrong. more