Peak marketing means going above and beyond
In a world where everyone is connected, a viral video about your product not living up to its promises can be disastrous, but does it have to be?
In November, Jenn Jensen posted a video of her soaked to the bone wearing a “waterproof” North Face jacket while hiking to the top of Hooker Valley Lake in New Zealand. She had bought the jacket just days earlier because of its waterproof advertising. In her good-humored video she didn’t ask for a refund but rather for the company to redesign the jacket and “express deliver it to the top of Hooker Valley Lake in New Zealand where I will be waiting.”
Jensen likely posted the video in frustration expecting a few friends to laugh, but little did she know her video would get more than 12 million views. As views racked up, so did comments criticizing The North Face and their products. In this situation, many companies ignore the publicity knowing it will likely blow over soon enough, but The North Face took a different approach.
In a savvy move, The North Face quickly responded to a comment that “Northface has left the conversation” with a video of their own, claiming they were busy delivering Jenn's jacket to the mountain top. Cue a scene straight out of an adventure movie: a North Face employee sprinting through a store, jumping onto a helicopter, and flying to the top of a New Zealand mountain to hand-deliver the coveted waterproof jacket. The best part? Jensen was there at the top of the mountain waiting to receive her new jacket.
The video, which quickly amassed 4.1 million views, transformed what could’ve been a PR headache into an opportunity to win the hearts of consumers virally. It showcased not only the brand's commitment to customer satisfaction but also their willingness to go to great heights – quite literally.