Err… Maybe Social Media is Not For You

A world-renowned brand, with hundreds of sub-brands. Just under 100,000 Facebook fans. A fan page activity of 12 – 20 fan posts per hour. Sounds like a dream scenario? Well, not if you’re Nestlé.

In case you haven’t heard, about a week ago Nestlé’s Facebook page has been an example of how a few bad decisions can make social media can blow up in your face. Let’s fast-forward through how we got here, shall we?

A Greenpeace spot goes online, which demonizes Nestlé for deforestation and destroying the orangutans’ habitat. Hundreds of angry people around the world decide to raid Nestlé’s Facebook fan page. And if it stopped there, it would be OK (in the “we’ve seen this sort of thing before” sense).

The protesters begin turning up the heat, calling for a boycott and posting with logo mashups as their profile pic, like for example, the little gem on the left.

Nestlé then decides that they’ll take it no more. Check out a portion of their tone on Facebook:

This obviously creates a whole revolt in the online community, meaning that Nestlé was successful in making things even worse than they already were. Some people were saying that they weren’t ready to jump on the boycott bandwagon quite yet, until they saw their dictatorial attitude. Many in the audience perceived that Nestlé was censoring because they were hiding something – whether that is true or not. With this move, they quite definitely stepped in the cow excrement up to their knees.

What followed was the expected PR-style apology from Nestlé’s team, along with a lame but somewhat sincere update reading “Social media: as you can see we’re learning as we go.” But again, if it all ended there, it would still be manageable.

One week later, you go to Nestlé’s Facebook Page (really, go and then come back), and it resembles more of a post-war dystopic barren land than a brand presence. Apparently, Nestlé considered that if they can’t control the conversation, they just won’t participate at all.

So I ask: why even have a Facebook page at all?!?

Now to be fair, Nestlé had issued a formal statement responding to Greenpeace on their web site. They also seem to be pretty active responding to people thru their Twitter account. This is all good use of the medium.

Do I think that Nestlé should pull out of social media completely (as the title of this post might imply)? Of course not. Actually, I think that if Nestlé shut down their Facebook Page it might be the nail in the coffin for their online brand presence.

My point is this: If they want to have any sort of presence on Facebook, they need to be active.

This whole situation is simply unforgivable. There is a saying that the best counter-attack for bad information is an overabundance of good information, not censorship. Nestlé’s silence on Facebook speaks louder than hundreds of statements they could post on their website.

Obviously, Nestlé opened a Facebook page to gain from an online brand presence, not to be tossed tomatoes at. Nonetheless, they need to be active, period. There’s no other option for them at this point. They are quite obviously drowning in deep waters without even a call for help.

One more thing. If it’s true that Nestlé does not want to hear exactly what people think of their brand, then it may be true that social media is not for them. If all they wanted was another one-side space where they could speak only what they wanted said about their brand, traditional media was a much safer haven. (I’ll write more about this topic on another post.)

Now, let me disclose something, before the attorneys start chasing me. I have no idea who is right and wrong in the Greenpeace debacle. Everything I’ve stated here is just to illustrate what an ideal use of social media channels would be, and why Nestlé isn’t achieving such ideals.

Would you do anything different in their situation? Let me hear your suggestion in the comments.

Update: Loving Olivier Blanchard‘s objective suggestions: Greenpeace vs. Nestle: How to make sure your Facebook page doesn’t become a PR trojan horse (Part 2)

Related articles by Zemanta

• Nestlé’s “no logo” policy triggers Facebook revolt (socialmediatoday.com)
• Greenpeace, Nestlé in battle over Kit Kat viral (cnn.com)
• Nestlé tried to censor Greenpeace advert but failed (americablog.com)
• Activists Use Facebook To Help Pressure Nestlé On Deforestation Issue (insidefacebook.com)

Be Sociable, Share!

• 

Popularity: 12%