SAN FRANCISCO
On a recent episode of HGTV’s ColorSplash, a San Francisco-based design show, the designers ordered a new dining room table from CB2 – Crate and Barrel’s “affordable” offspring. When the table failed to arrive on the delivery date the designers called CB2 – while being filmed – and learned that the store had neglected to process the transaction. The order had been taken and payment information had been received, but the trigger was never pulled.
It turned out that the CB2 store here in SF had the exact table in their showroom as a floor model. Problem solved, right? Host David Bromstad asked the store manager if he would allow HGTV to “borrow” the floor model for 4 hours, just long enough to finish filming the climax of the episode.
CB2’s store manager said he wouldn’t consider it.
Host David Bromstad said: “I’m never going in there ever again.” On national television.
I pictured tens of thousands of couples watching the program turn to each other to make some derogatory comment about the brand. My girlfriend and I sure did.
Let’s break down the facts real quick: Pretend you represent CB2. We’re in a recession. You sell “affordable” furniture. A well-watched design program wants to feature your product on national television but your company botched the order. Once the problem is recognized, a host from Home and Garden Television makes a reasonable appeal to use a floor-sample just long enough to include it in the episode – 4 hours tops. You know that in X number of months you plan to sell that floor sample at a discount, perhaps knock it from $500 down to $300, or less.
Why would you say no? First, I think we can assume that the host was talking to a manager. I don’t see HGTV asking for a special favor and not asking to speak to a manager, and conversely, I don’t see a part-time sales rep supposing that they have the authority to make such a decision. Ok, so HGTV tells the manager they want to promote one of their products, and s/he says no. I’m really trying to think of this from the manager’s perspective, and the only reasons I can think of why they wouldn’t want to loan out the table for free publicity are 1.) the fear of getting in trouble from the higher-ups for loaning out store property, or 2.) that he has no concern for the bigger picture and isn’t looking to do his employer any favors. If the former is the case, why not at least contact your superior before saying no to HGTV? If the latter is the case, then I hope he had a great follow-up conversation with his boss, and now sees the light.
How much is unsolicited, organic, positive publicity worth? I’d say a plug on national television is worth significantly more than a $300 table, particularly if your company would be shown owning up to a mistake and putting the right foot forward. Consumers eat that up. Imagine the goodwill that could have been fostered if CB2 would have said, “Sorry, we messed up! In fact, we’re so appreciative that you want to feature our table on your show that we’re going to give the floor sample to the homeowner at no charge.” $300 for a substantially positive plug on TV? I’d argue that’s worth even more than the cost of a 30-second commercial. That’s a long-term investment in the brand. Word of mouth marketing on a national scale. But, to be clear, HGTV wasn’t asking to keep the floor sample, they wanted to borrow it. For 4 hours.
By the end of the episode – we assume that several hours had passed – the show’s producers received a call from CB2 saying that they’d be more than happy to lend them the floor sample. What happened? My guess is that the store manager felt rightfully insecure with his decision and called his District Manager, who called his Regional Manager, who said something along the lines of, “are you insane? Get that table on that show or hand in your keys.”
So CB2 relented and let HGTV borrow the table; everything’s fine then, right? Not so much. There was a 10-minute time-gap between the host saying he’d never go to CB2 ever again and the callback from CB2 saying to go ahead and use the table. I spent those 10 minutes contemplating this article, and I wonder how many other people developed a sour taste in their mouth, too. What about the people who heard David Bromstad write off the company and then left the room/house the next commercial break, before the final resolution? Too late for them.
What’s the lesson here?
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a stockroom employee, a part-time coordinator, a clerk, or a store manager, you need to understand that you represent the brand way more than any banner advertisement or TV commercial ever will. Assess such situations by first considering your role and responsiblity (am I qualified to make this decision?) If you’re not qualified, then send it up the chain of command. If you’re the decision maker, then take the necessary steps to do what’s best for the brand, because what’s best for the brand is almost always what’s best for your career.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Two things:
(1.) Add us to the list of people left with a tarnished view of CB2. We did exactly as you and your girlfriend. My wife and I turned to each other and exchanged a few lines of disgust toward the brand. I will say that they probably lost us as customers at that point.
(2.) Someone else watches Color Splash! (I thought I was the only straight man in the city who knew who David Bromstad was.) Now that I’ve personally connected with your viewing habits, expect to find me adding more hits to your site.
great article
Well CB2 could have just said to the person form HGTV, they can purchase the table and then return it after they were done. Who knows, what would happen to it after it left the store, you need to protect yourself these days. Know what I mean?