We have noticed an increase in negative marketing tactics, and we’re not convinced they are a good thing. We don’t believe negativity is the best way to inspire a potential customer to buy your brand. There seems to be a growing trend online, to use negative press as a ‘stepping-stone’ toward tapping into a larger audience.

The logic behind this move, apparently, is to harness the traffic that is looking for the negative news, to re-direct them toward more positive statements. That makes some sense, and is a fairly logical approach when used within a reputation management context, especially after a problem. However, deliberately continuing to use that negative perception in order to attract visits or hits will only perpetuate the negativity, ultimately attaching that negative knowledge or belief to a brand for the rest of its existence.

Here is a fictional example based upon a real case study, where we were approached by a company that had used this negative approach to the detriment of its brand. Continue reading →