Tide Response Strategies to the Tide Pod Challenge

When Tide and other detergent companies created the very colourful pods designed to be tossed in washing machines and dishwashers, but what they never knew was that their Tide Pods challenge was going viral and teenagers began sharing videos on social media about their experience eating the pods.

Could this challenge be a peer pressure challenge or just the pressure to get attention on social media? I will say Teenagers have access to smartphone gets them prompted to take videos and images to share on social media. To some extent, such an act will be to attract peer attention or simply to look “Cool. ” Just my thoughts:).

Tide did everything to control the narrative, they apologize by showing concern to their consumers, creating awareness, and getting into action to remedy the situation.

“From the perspective of brand crisis assessment, I think Tide did everything that you’re supposed to do.”–Americus Reed

Tide response to this crisis was well handled, where they clearly and accurately provided all the necessary information advising the public that the pods were not edible and if indigested could become toxic to the body. The brand has been proactive from the start when a case of young toddlers could put the pods in their mouth. As such, Tide coated the pods to make it very bitter and doubled the packaging to be harder to open for smaller hands.

“[Tide] validated public concerns, yet made it clear they don’t consider themselves responsible.”–Robert Field

Tide has been aware this kind of issue might become a crisis and as such had to be proactive by showing that the brand cared about their consumers and was responsible by posting messages alerting people on social about the impact on ingesting Tide pods thereby making them not responsible for any consumers’ action to do otherwise.

Tide also created videos and Gifs images alerting people about the consequences of ingesting pods.

I believe Tide did a good job in responding to the Tide pod challenge. They validated the consumers’ concerns and were very responsible in providing information advising that the pods were not edible.

Tide’s response to the crisis:

For proof that the company’s constant messaging is working, just look on social media. There are now plenty of memes, photos and GIFs about the dangers of attempting the Tide pod challenge. Golbeck recalled seeing a photo of a fresh pizza topped with Tide pods and the accompanying message that the recipient would eat that, too.

“We obviously know that [eating pods] is stupid, but what we’re starting to see in the social media space is that the meme is shifting a bit, especially as it’s harder to get attention for actually eating them,” she said.  “Now, a way for me to insult you is to suggest you might eat a Tide pod.”

Reed said P&G was “very smart” to recruit peer-level influencers to deliver the message, such as New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. He appears in a video on Tide’s Twitter feed, telling young people that the pods are not for eating.

“From the perspective of brand crisis assessment, I think Tide did everything that you’re supposed to do,” Reed said. “There are three things you’re supposed to do: You have to validate concerns. You have to show action. And you have to control the narrative.”

Field said P&G was also correct in not apologizing for the mistakes of consumers.

“They validated public concerns, yet made it clear they don’t consider themselves responsible,” he said. “It’s definitely the way to go, both in terms of public relations and legally.”

Resource Review: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/fallout-tide-pod-challenge/