The Consumer Product Safety Commission gives good tweets. Product safety is not normally funny, but every now and then it can be. Case in point, a rather random string of posts over the last few months where the official Twitter account of the CPSC has not only managed to deliver some important messages, they’ve also managed to include some humor in the mix. While that humor might induce a head-scratch or two, it’s interesting to see this topic addressed by way of a slightly different approach. For example, this tweet celebrating President’s Day, featuring Abraham Lincoln—
Wait, what? Well, it got your attention, didn’t it? In an interview with Vice, Joseph Galbo, the social media specialist at the CPSC said, "We have randomly used presidents' birthdays, like other significant dates, to draw attention to safety issues," and “In that spirit, we used President Lincoln's birthday to highlight a serious safety issue: the intentional ingestion of laundry pods, as well as the risk of unintentional usage."
So, how did the CPSC get started with these quirky memes to deliver a message of safety? "Like a lot of our graphics, putting this one together started with the stock photo. We were really drawn to that image of Lincoln. If you study his face, he’s looking toward the ground…concerned maybe? Pensive? About what? The intentional ingestion of laundry pods and the risk of unintentional usage? That’s what it looked like to us," Galbo said, tongue firmly in cheek.
"In all seriousness, this is part of our larger strategy to reach people in new and exciting ways to help save lives," he explained. "We know product safety is not top-of-mind for everyone all the time. As one of the smaller federal regulatory agencies, we’re always looking for unique ways to cut through the noise and get people thinking about safety." I thought the campaign terrific and that it accomplished what the CPSC wanted it to accomplish—it certainly got my attention. What do you think?
Speaking of product safety, we’ve talked here several times about the difficulties associated with having a conversation with your clients about product safety. It’s never easy to start those conversations, and it’s likewise not easy to manage them on an ongoing basis. It’s not fun, it’s not sexy, it’s not typical coffee table or cocktail party content and it’s a buzz kill to bring up during a client meeting. No one likes to spend time thinking about negative things, and bringing up issues relating to brand safety that are easier left unsaid is a difficult job. That said, it’s incredibly important that we all have these conversations with our clients, and that we do so on a regular basis. Your job, as a trusted vendor partner is to know all the things they might not know, and to protect them, and their brand. This is true even if they don’t know they need protecting.
We’ve also talked here before about the “race to the bottom,” the challenge of price leading too many conversations in our industry. Your competitors dropping immediately to their deepest discount are not likely as concerned about sustainable sourcing as you are. They need to cut corners somewhere to get to those razor-thin margins.
Since retail trends are often mirrored in our industry, there is a new concept using Artificial Intelligence software you might find interesting. Software from Point 93 replaces simple discounting with dynamic pricing and addresses the need to re-educate customers. Sound familiar? When was the last time you had to explain why your price is higher than a trunk-slammer?
“Retailers invest a lot in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities, but they do a poor job communicating about them. They often don’t know whether their customers care about the campaigns or if they are willing to pay more for items produced under ethical conditions,” says Samantha Zirkin, CEO and Founder of Point 93. “Customers have been conditioned to expect deep discounts, which hurt the retailer’s brand and bottom line,” she told Digitalist magazine. “Our solution encourages positive buying behavior and allows customers to provide feedback about product, price, and in-store experience.” Think about where we are now in our industry, it’s like looking in a mirror—your clients are being trained to expect the deepest discount right from the start. But, do you ask for feedback that compares the quality and safe products you provide compared to the price paid?
The challenges of the promotional products supply chain, the environmental impacts of manufacturing, and the frequent poor working conditions and low factory wages are all part of the low-ball cost that your competitor is providing, but not communicating, to their clients. In a day that’s probably not too far away, AI technology could easily give the shopper at retail a chance to know more about the source of a product and enjoy true supply chain transparency, and that could happen in the promo industry next. There is so much going into a product that your client is unaware of before its price is ultimately determined. Vision into the process could empower clients in our industry, a vision that answers the question, “why does your product cost more?”
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Connect with Jeff on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.