Chris Brogan on a sponsored shopping trip at Kmart
Note: Upon further reflection, I have changed the title of this post to better reflect the message of the post. My beef is less with Chris Brogan than witk Kmart. If Chris wants to accept a $500 gift card in exchange for writing about his Kmart shopping experience, I have no problem with that. My issue is that I believe Kmart is incorrectly using the social-networking medium. Rather than letting its customers advocate on the store’s behalf, Kmart is using a well-respected social-media expert to improve its image.
This post is about a blog post from social media expert Chris Brogan, on behalf of Kmart.
Kmart gave Chris a $500 gift card and asked him to blog about what he bought. Chris wrote a straightforward article, which was clearly identified as a “sponsored post”.
His post is a first-hand account of his family’s shopping trip:
My six year old daughter came through the front doors, and the girls clothes was to the right. She looked over and said, “These are beautiful,” and sunk into a rack of winter coats.
It is evenhanded, such as this:
Dad note: I don’t know that I saw clothes I’d wear as a grown up. I mean, if you’re not very stylish, which I am not, there were some items.
This far into the story, I give Kmart high marks for entering into the jungle that is social media and for hiring someone as creative and smart as Chris Brogan. And I want to emphasize how much respect and admiration I have for Chris Brogan. He is one of the foremost strategic thinkers in the social-media space today.
But here’s where I disagree with what Chris and Kmart have done.
Rather than take advantage of the power of social media, they have tried to use this forum with traditional top-down marketing tactics.
They are saying, in effect, “WE will tell YOU what’s good about Kmart.”
Here’s what I think they should have done.
Kmart should have started a peer-to-peer marketing campaign, encouraging customers to tell each other why they shop at Kmart.
Let the customers take center stage. Turn customers into brand evangelists.
I have no doubt that, especially in a recession, there are many people who are grateful for Kmart’s prices. I bet there are customers who would be eager and able to write a post similar to Chris’. Not to mention the $500 gift card.
What gives social media the potential to become a marketing force is that it levels the playing field. Now nearly anyone can create and publish content. So why not at Kmart?
Forrester Research analyst Jeremiah Owyang recently wrote about how many people mistrust corporate blogs. He listed 8 reasons, including:
5. Customer Inclusion:
Do corporate blogs allow their customers to partake? or are they only second class citizensGood: Allows for customers to guest blog, or includes snippets of their experiences
Bad: Content is only published by employees
In my view, Kmart is making this mistake. Customers come after the corporate voice. They can respond to Chris, but they compete with the hundreds of other comments.
Hubspot’s Brian Halligan recently described the new model of marketing as a tradeoff between spending financial capital on the one hand versus spending intellectual capital on the other. (He was contrasting pay-click advertising and social media, not referring to Kmart).
Unfortunately, Kmart has decided it has more money than brains.
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Ripples are not waves. Maybe that’s why it is easier to surf Chris’ hands on approach to social media with an opinion rather than simply participate. Here are a couple of observations as to way Chris Brogan and Kmart are right:
1. Creating awareness about Kmart’s selection is not only necessary but important. Personally, last time I bought anything in Kmart it was prior to SEARS merge. The blog post made me realize that things have change and that I should take a look. Moreover, I will stop by Kmart later today.
2. Chris Brogan’s credibility has been established over time and his followers understand the dynamic between sponsor-regenerated tactics to mobilize folks to take action and his impeccable squeaky clean independent points of view. No merge there.
3. As a consumer, picking my curiosity with savings is a good thing. I’ll get there and DECIDE on my own – thank you very much- what I need or want.
4. Kmart was very smart at reaching out to Chris Brogan. Far away from scholastic definitions of marketing and social media, Chris Brogan has a heart. His followers know it. What is the value of that? I think you -and Kmart- will find out.
Hi Ana,
Thanks for your well-reasoned response.
As to your specific points, here are my reactions:
Thanks,
Josh
I don’t see why “Kmart should have started a peer-to-peer marketing campaign, encouraging customers to tell each other why they shop at Kmart.”
To me, the value of social media platforms (social networking websites) is that they already allow people to talk about whatever they want to. Kmart should worry about good products at low prices. Chris Brogan, Josh Fialkoff, Ari Herzog, and all the other discriminating consumers out there can blog about Kmart’s awesomeness on Blogger, Facebook, and Google Groups. Kmart doesn’t have to be a part of that process and perhaps wouldn’t gain much by trying to get involved in the first place.
Hi Adam,
You are right that Kmart doesn’t need to be part of the process.
But, if people are talking about the store, it makes sense to me that Kmart should be part of the dialogue.
I applaud their strategy of using social media to change their brand’s image. I think more companies should be as bold and brave as Kmart (and as smart to hire someone of Chris Brogan’s caliber).
Kmart *could* gain credibility and new fans by having an honest conversation with shoppers about the pros and cons of its stores.
I just don’t understand why those normal shoppers are not the ones writing Kmart’s posts.
I’m curious: why don’t you think Kmart would gain from being involved in the conversation?
Thanks,
Josh
Thank you for responding, Josh! I appreciate that. We can spend a long Saturday afternoon ‘talking’ about this, but here’s the thing. As it relates to me, Chris has my permission to introduce ideas, products, stores, etc. He earned my trust over time. An “X” costumer of Kmart for many years will not move me to go and check out what Kmart has to offer. Not because they are not getting paid to say what they think, but because I don’t trust their opinion has not been paid, scripted, or if it is sincere at best. It is the consistency in Chris Brogan’s character and his ethical interactions all over the social media map that influences me, not a one time exposure to a devoted Kmart shopper. What Chris’ perspective did is to make me curious enough to plan a trip to Kmart. If I purchase something at the store, it will be because of my personal experience with Kmart and nothing else.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Ana.
Ana,
Your view makes sense to me– especially as it relates to Twitter users and blog readers.
But, I don’t think this is Kmart’s target market.
I think they would be better served by having someone who is in their target market do what Chris did.
Other than that, I agree with the way Chris and Kmart are trying to market the store.
Thanks,
Josh
In the travel writing world, this is called a junket. Many newspapers and magazines have strict guidelines not to allow their writers to accept “bribes” by companies or destinations to write favorably. Sure, Chris could have written the entire post in a negative light, but when he takes his daughter to go shopping, of course the reviews will be positive.
If a brand wants to give me a gift, I’ll accept it. But I won’t accept a gift as a first step to blogging about them. I’d rather blog about the company organically.
Ari Herzog’s last blog post..Good Luck Emailing Your Bank’s Media Contact
I absolutely agree with you Ari.
I wonder how many Kmart shoppers will think about what Chris got when they go to the store.
As I said, I also wonder why Kmart didn’t ask one its existing shoppers to write a blog post.
Thanks,
Josh
Some points of clarification:
1) Kmart didn’t tell me what to write, didn’t review what I wrote, and doesn’t have any say with my post.
2) Izea hired me. Kmart has no hands on me. My only requirement was to blog about my experience.
3) I’m not representing Kmart as a marketer. I’m blogging as a dad reviewing an experience paid for by that company by way of Izea.
4) Social elements included the ability for two way conversations, as did tweets, and both ensued. Felt social media to me.
You’re welcome to your opinion. I’m just clarifying your commentary.
Chris Brogan’s last blog post..Guest Post- Twitter Features I’d Pay For
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the feedback.
While Kmart didn’t have a direct role in what you wrote, they did give you a $500 gift card.
Let’s be clear: I’m in no way questioning your integrity (I don’t know you personally, but I’ve only heard good things about you and I think what you write about is dead on).
But, you were hired.
I think Kmart’s online-marketing plan would be better served if someone who wasn’t hired wrote the post.
There are many dads out there who shop at Kmart.
I’d like to hear from them on Kmart’s blog.
Thanks again,
-Josh
It always amazes me that companies/stores enact new strategies without addressing longstanding foundational challenges. Nothing has changed at Kmart or Walmart. Target changed that industry before social media was even conceived and it will always be where I go, unless another one comes along with radical originality and effectiveness in basics.
Pamir | Reiki Help Blog’s last blog post..How Oneness leads to Energetic Integrity
Hi Pamir,
This is an extremely valid point!
It would be great to see Kmart truly enter the world of social media and ASK its customers (and its detractors) what the company could do to improve its standing with shoppers.
Giving bloggers gift cards does not address the core reasons why Kmart is not the number one discount store.
Thanks,
Josh
I see no problem with what Chris of Kmart did. Chris was up front about his $500 and wrote about his experience with his family.
The problem is that too many people have too many differing ideas about what is social media and how it works. There is not a rule book, thus nobody can really say that what happened here was or was not legitimate social media. Chris has built a REAL platform and has followers. They come because he is legit. Just because he got a gift card it does not make him less legit. (had he hid that fact then it would have been bad).
My experience so far has been that there are some people who are holier than thou in regards to the rules of how social media works (I am not accusing anyone on this post of that…just in general). You cannot fake viral…it works when it works. Same is true here. Maybe Kmart gets value, maybe not. Either way, Chris did what all bloggers should do and that is to tell a story. Each person has their own ability to judge. If people dont like what he writes, they need not come back daily.
I congratulate Chris for all he has done and continues to do. He is transparent…and that is what makes social media work. If someone wanted to give me some cash to review their product, I would take it…as long as I was free to say whatever I wanted to say.
I think that those who think social media is some sort of new world where the “rules” are all different need to look back at all the times that we have heard that before. Remember the tech stocks of the late 1990s. Everyone said that the economic rules were changing. OOPS, in the end they did not change that much and the bubble burst.
Where there are eyeballs and a platform….. there will be people willing to pay money for access. This is not a sin. Honesty and transperency are the only “rule”….and Chris Brogan followed those with the total integrity.
Just my two cents from a little blogger with an opinion. Again, everyone has different opinions…and I am not saying mine is better or worse than anybody else…. it is just mine! And the cool part is that my opinion gets to be my opinion even when others think I am full of sh*t.
Have a great day
thom
I think, ultimately, this depends on what Kmart’s objective is. If their objective was to get a new demographic who wouldn’t normally shop at Kmart to consider it, then they have met their objective. If their objective was to stay with the same demographic, and maybe find a few new people, then maybe this wasn’t the best tactic. However, in this economy, the former was probably their objective. I think I might just have to go check out Kmart too!
Thom,
It’s a tribute to Chris that he was upfront about the $500. He has an absolute right to take the money and to blog about it.
And yes, we are making up the rules of social media right now. It’s wonderful to be in an undefined arena.
As I said in the post, my beef is that Kmart had the opportunity to allow a typical, unpaid customer to tell their story. Instead, the chain opted to give a marketer that spotlight.
Thanks,
Josh
Rachel,
If Kmart is going after the Twitter crowd, they picked the perfect guy!
But if they’re hoping to start a dialogue with their customers, I’d like to hear from the customers directly.
Thanks,
Josh
Hi there. I stumbled across several Twitter exchanges related to this post, and while I may not have full background, I’ve already gathered a few thoughts I hope you don’t mind me sharing.
I’m a social media sophomore, but I’m a lifelong consumer and 16-year participant in the areas of consumer insights, branding, and marketing.
I can honestly say that a year ago, I didn’t know who Chris Brogan was, nor would reading any material written by him have necessarily influenced my retail shopping destination any more than if written by Matthew Hunt. Who is Matthew Hunt? I don’t know, just some guy. With all respect to Mr. Brogan, there are Everyday People out there for whom Chris’s writing might not resonate. People who are more strongly affected by economic status, time constraints, convenience in location, or life-long customs (“my mom always shopped there…”). But interestingly, it seems as though its within social media circles that the real conversations surrounding Chris, holiday purchases, and values/judgment are appearing. I would anticipate that KMart had their hopes pinned on consumers talking instead.
I’m not offering comment on the appropriateness of the sponsored blog; that’s certainly not my call and I’m ill-informed to do so. In fact, my remote observations and a few direct messages with Chris (NOW he’s a relevant name to me) lead me to believe he’s a man of integrity and good judgment.
I think what I AM trying to say is that what Chris and KMart did or did not do, the value generated or wasted, and appropriate/inappropriateness of a single post is a non-issue for me. Both as a consumer, a social media participant, and a seasoned marketer.
A public transaction took place. Even-keeled reportings were made. End of story. Consumers might shop, they might not. But I suggest those scenarios will be more widely influenced by other factors and much less so this event.
In my opinion, a topic more worthy of discussion could be how social media plays into KMart’s overall positioning and sales strategies.
Me? I shop Target.
Thanks for this opportunity to comment, I appreciate it. Heather
Hi Heather,
Thanks for your comments!
Your last point was the point I was trying to make: “In my opinion, a topic more worthy of discussion could be how social media plays into KMart’s overall positioning and sales strategies.”
This is my problem with what’s happening.
I wish Kmart would truly have a dialogue with its current and prospective customers by listening and responding to their likes and dislikes.
My view is that that would be more effective than giving bloggers gift cards.
Thanks,
Josh
To me, Kmart is the old school discount store my mom took me to as a kid. I haven’t been back to one since. I have to say, I was pretty impressed that they tried something in the realm of social media that was a different take on anything I have seen so far. Because of the transparency of the approach, it doesn’t come across to me as a bribe, or that he was hired. I imagine Chris could ask for a lot more in terms of compensation if he was truly hired. When journalists accept product etc…, it usually isn’t divulged as part of the story. The idea was to see where $500 could take you in the store and to show what products they offer that we may not have know about. The change I would have made would have been to the comments/prize portion. To me that was the opportunity to get feedback from Kmart consumers – maybe ask them for their favorite store memory. Mine would have been the popcorn my mom always bought me to snack on while we shopped – better than the theater. Changing that element up to create more of a dialogue may have been more effective in my opinion.
I disagree. The effort is very social media oriented.
Izea chose a social media maven, who used multiple online social venues. Twitter and his blog, for instance.
Also, because Chris is a social media maven, whatever he writes has the potential to erupt across the social mediasphere. Case in point: this blog post.
Coming up with coulda shoulda woulda’s isn’t very practical here, because this is a one-off and not K-Mart’s (or Izea’s) entire strategy for social media.
Social media campaigns, like traditional media campaigns, have many events.
As a one-off event with legs, this one is pretty successful because Chris has enough of a brand name of his own to engender critiques and comments to spread the original post virally.
Gib’s last blog post..See Resume, See Door, See Applicant Run
Hi Gib,
Thanks for your feedback. Hopefully you are right and Kmart has a more-expansive plan for how it uses social media.
I look forward to seeing it… and I hope it involves using existing customers to promote the store.
Thanks,
-Josh
This is a worthwhile conversation, and I appreciate the pains you’ve taken to make it non-personal. The line between ad and editorial is a huge issue we’re having to rethink in the midst of media fragmentation, and I’m glad someone like Chris is out there trying things and being completely transparent about it.
I saw the Kmart post when Chris first tweeted about it, and I have to admit, I was a bit taken aback. I have huge respect for Chris’s blog–he’s taught me a lot–and the community he’s developed exemplifies much of what is best about social media. I think what sets Chris apart is that, unlike most blogs that are mostly commentary–ie: about the author and the author’s views–Chris’s blog is far more focused on providing tactical value to his readers. And that’s frankly what felt odd to me about the Kmart post. It was so clearly out of the mold of what I’ve come to appreciate about reading Chris. It reminded me of listening to radio personalities pitch products. Their tone of voice changes, their cadence changes, and I’m never really convinced that they believe what they’re saying about the product. But….
I honestly don’t know what the best alternative is. We need to find ways to support the time and effort that goes into creating content, and text ads and banners won’t cut it for most bloggers. The concept of sponsored posts is worth exploring, but finding the balance between adding value and shilling is one every blogger has to negotiate with his or her own audience in order to be effective, or the sponsorships will go away. I appreciate that Chris is trying things out, and doing so transparently.
Chris Kenton’s last blog post..The “No S–t” List: Resolutions for the Rest of Us
How do we know that Kmart is not doing “other” things too? Do they utilize customer feedback in their online communities? Do they have online communities or are they working on it?
I have no clue what they are doing in the world of social media beyond giving Chris $500. Unless we know this, how can we be critical. If the only thing they have done or will do is the “Chris Brogan Experiment” then they are silly. I guess that this is a part of a bigger strategy of reaching people via social media.
Another mistake we all make in social media is we see the world through our own eyes. We make assumptions based on what we see and assume. If working with Chris Brogan is one spoke (of many) in their wheel then are they not being smart?
We must look at this out of the vaacuum of how we want social media to be.
Two more cents
thom singer’s last blog post.."Celebrate Austin Entrepreneurship Project" – Vignette
The comment above by Chris Kenton says it all: “It was so clearly out of the mold of what I’ve come to appreciate about reading Chris. It reminded me of listening to radio personalities pitch products. Their tone of voice changes, their cadence changes, and I’m never really convinced that they believe what they’re saying about the product.”
Mr. Brogan may be feeling hurt that many of us are critiquing him today. I’d advise him to look at it as honest social media feedback — taking $500 to use your podium to write glowingly of a retailer you typically don’t visit is a glaring mistake that erodes credibility, even if you had a jolly good time at Kmart spending the cash on the gift card. If you can’t see the conflict, well, please, look again.
It all comes down to what we value most about Chris — his voice. At his best, Chris Brogan offers the kind of wisdom that makes you feel you can leap into a new media and do something different to change your world. Letting that voice be morphed into a manipulated opinion is disappointing — so please, please, let’s stop such nonsense before it spreads elsewhere and devalues all of social media currency.
And to the pay-per-post boys behind the entire campaign — if you really must try to game the system, please do it in a dark corner where the rest of us don’t have to look at it. I’ll take my advertising and editorial straight up, please, with no hidden strings.
Ben Kunz’s last blog post..The problem with Chris Brogan’s Kmart promotion
What would actually have been really cool – and far more effective – would have been if Kmart had run a contest for its detractors – or diehard Walmart or Target shoppers – with five $500 prizes, on condition that the folks who won the prizes either blog or participate in a podcast or videocast about how an actual visit to the store had changed – or confirmed – their perceptions of the store.
Don’t know how it works in the US, but in Canada, when market research/focus groups are being done, people who work in marketing, advertising, and PR are automatically disqualified from participating – and it is always one of the questions asked. Whether it’s answered honestly or not is moot, of course.
Ruth Seeley’s last blog post..Why communicating with your stakeholders doesn’t constitute spin
Related article in yesterday’s WSJ: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122884677205091919.html