PR Case Study: Hey Nickelback, Embrace The Pickle

by Scott Bishop on February 24, 2010

Bow To The Pickle

I’m sorry…I just can’t let this story die.  There’s just too many lessons we can apply back to social media marketing and Public Relations.

So as we all know, a Pickle has fan more fans than the band Nickelback.  Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the lead singer, Chad, that the whole thing is tougne and cheek.  It’s a joke dude.

Apparently the “Rockstar” (I’m using this term as loosely as I can because I don’t know anyone who can actually call this rock music)…the Rockstar ego cannot allow to lose to the pickle without a fight.  Tonight Nickelback went on the attack.  Basically, they cried like rockstar babies and want the page banned. (Even Perez Hilton weighed in)

Here’s the PR lesson folks…they come directly from The Art of War by Sun Tzu.  And one from Bugs Bunny.

No general should fight a battle simply out of pique

I’m sure it comes as a slap in the face, but really Nickelback…really?  You seriously care about this?  This is how you chose to spend your time?  To go after the group and trying to get it banned from Facebook is only justifying how much of a turd sandwhich the group all thought you were.  Congrats to proving their point to everyone who wasn’t a fan yet.

Why fan the fire?  Do not pick a fight out of emotion, you play into their hands and will be crushed by them.

It is through the dispositions of an army that its condition may be discovered. Conceal your dispositions, and your condition will remain secret, which leads to victory; show your dispositions, and your condition will become patent, which leads to defeat

The disposition is clearly not concealed.  Your disposition is now on the internet and is going viral faster than swine flu.

A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen

The point of the group was to get more fans than Nickelback…they won.  Here’s an amazing video of the victory dance (thanks Lindsay Allen).  Why pick a fight with an army that’s bigger and at their strongest point?  And especially when your band has no talent.

The correct answer comes from Bugs Bunny

If you can’t beat em…join em

The response that wins that battle is not to fight…it’s to jump in and ride the wave.  Why stop the momentum.  If 1.4 million fans and counting think you’re a tool, you do not prove them correct.  You have fun with it.  You can’t run against a river of moving water…but you can use that water’s momentum to carry you.

Here’s the correct response:

  • Create a fast video with yourself in a pickle costume or wearing a “Pickleback” t-shirt.  Write a 2 min song about the group and about pickles.  Throw it on their fan page, your fan page, and on Youtube.
  • Create a video congratulating the Pickle’s victory.  But let them know that they won the battle but not the war.  Let them know that Nickleback fans are the best in the music industry and they won’t go down without a fight.  Then email your base and get them into the game.  Tell them they need to fight the pickle and tell their friends who love Nickleback to join the Nickleback page.  You’ve now just engaged your community and let them in on the fun.
  • Walk around in a “Pickleback” t-shirt and let the paparazzi see you.  They’ll print it and show what a good sport you are to the world and can have a little fun.  It shows you’re a regular down to earth guy…and not a pompous 5 yr old who can’t take a joke.

If you find yourself or your brand deep in a fight with a viral virtual army…assess the situation and take a deep breath.  If the information is deliberate lies and truly hurtful to your brand, fight.  But when the whole thing is tongue and cheek reindeer games, see if there is an angle to join in the fun and take away the opposition by beating them to their own punch.

Social media marketing is an intense battle for attention.

You’re not just in a fight with other industry competitors…you’re battling everyone and everything. Your disposition is now on the internet for everyone to see and it goes viral faster than swine flu. www.reputation.com probably couldn’t even have stopped this PR nightmare for Nickelback. If you have attention coming your way like this…ride the wave by changing the tide. The disposition is clearly not concealed.

 

This is DAY 24 of my “28 Day Blogging Challenge“

Get the Real Time Marketer Directly to Your RSS HERE

Scott S. Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and a marketing strategist with a specialty in social media.  He is an avid blogger and active across the net.  He is @thescottbishop on Twitter

If You Like This Post, You Will Find These Valuable Too

Tagged as: Case Study, Facebook, facebook page, nickelback, pickleback, PR, Public Relations

Article by Scott Bishop

Scott Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and is the Director of Social for an integrated marketing firm. He is an avid blogger and active across the net. He is @thescottbishop on Twitter

Scott has written 120 awesome articles for Us.

  • Pingback: Garlic Pickle | World online health review

  • http://twitter.com/BZalasky Benjamin Zalasky

    Great post Scott, this right on the mark!

  • sbishop

    Hey thanks for the complement Ben. I appreciate you stopping by. I'm no fan of Nickelback…and it's not just because of the music. This would have been a better way to handle the situation but we can only offer our advice right!

  • DanielleHohmeier

    Another great post Scott!
    I loved your point about the battle for attention in social media (and actually used it in my own post over at Atomicdust yesterday http://www.atomicdust.com/blog/single/facebook-…). What's worse, in my opinion, is to think of all the brands that are completely ignoring this platform. Brands that refuse to get themselves into the social media game are missing out on a whole new avenue to promote their product/service/name.

  • sbishop

    Social Media marketers need to understand that the battle is for attention, nothing more. So direct competitors as much as non-direct competitors compete for your eye ball time. Content needs to be compelling enough to beat out a mindless YouTube viral video as much as it needs to beat out the competition's blog post.

    It's mind blowing to think of those brands not in the space. But I'd rather have a brand not active than one that's doing it half-assed. Nothing worse than a company in the space with profiles in hibernation.

    Thanks for the shout in your blog, I really appreciate that.

  • Likeabigboi8

    I think you need to grow up and stop making a big deal about the fact that he didn’t react your way.

Previous post:

Next post:

Real Time Web Analytics