Reality television programming may be regarded as lowbrow by some viewers, but for Waste Management Inc., “trash TV” has taken on a positive connotation.
An appearance by Waste Management president and COO Lawrence O’Donnell on the CBS show “Undercover Boss” has generated significant interest in the company. Since the episode ran on February 7th, hits to the trash hauler’s new customer and career Web links have skyrocketed. In the four days following the broadcast, Waste Management’s new customer link received more than triple the number of hits than the recent daily average and traffic to the company’s careers page almost doubled.
The publicity from “Undercover Boss”, which drew in 38.6 million people for the series premiere, has in turn secured media coverage for Waste Management via an appearance by O’Donnell on “The Joy Behar Show” and in an interview with network anchor Campbell Brown.
It is the emphatic way in which O’Donnell conducted himself on the show, for which he went undercover as an employee, that is largely responsible for the buzz. His heartbroken reaction to the workers’ tales of the indignities they had suffered as a result of their attempts to adhere to O’Donnell’s productivity policies elicited a warm response from the public. Viewers appreciated the fact that the COO of a company was genuinely trying to understand the plight of his employees.
Ironically, O’Donnell turned down the offer to be on “Undercover Boss” at first. His initial reaction to the idea is indicative of a relatively common consensus on reality television programming. However, the public’s feelings about this genre of television are slowly shifting, and as a result, reality TV is gradually becoming a valuable outlet for public relations efforts.
Take “America’s Next Top Model,” which began airing in 2003. Produced by former supermodel Tyra Banks, the show has been among network CW’s highest rated programming. In the early seasons (or cycles, as the producers have dubbed the seasons) of the show, the designers featured were by no means household names. Fashion industry bigwigs turned their noses up at the idea of promoting their designs on reality TV show. This element has changed drastically in recent cycles, with the fashion industry’s major players taking part in the show. Perhaps the culmination of this emerging trend was the Cycle 10 season finale, in which the two finalists walked in a Versace runway show held in fashion hot spot Rome, Italy.
The rules of promotion are changing across all venues of entertainment; the shift is not limited to social media’s increasing dominance over traditional media. Public relations, advertising, and marketing methods that were once considered taboo are now acceptable, and just about anything goes. Now is the time to take calculated risks when promoting your brand. Before ruling out an idea that seems “foolish” or “outrageous,” take a second look at the concept with an open mind. Smart risks can be very profitable for your brand – just ask Lawrence O’Donnell.
How much can you learn from pop über-diva Lady Gaga about marketing your brand via social media? A great deal, as it turns out.
We have all heard it a thousand times: Good customer service can make or break a sale. Ironically, in this day and age, good customer service is often a luxury rather than a given, and all of us have, on one occasion or another, made our purchases regardless of the reception we receive from the sales associate.
