If this slightly genius, unplanned product campaign is successfully pulled off, then what an interesting outcome to a plagiaristic situation – during times when aggression and blame-based finger pointing appear to be the order of the day.
It shows a shimmer of humorous humility that both companies are using their social media expertise to settle a difficult situation, which in turn rewards them with a boost in company publicity and product awareness.
It’s unlikely that anyone reading the story is left with a sense of ‘news anxiety’, or a feeling that controversy or conflict can only be dealt with using an onslaught of hostile behaviors. There’s so much of that in the news at present anyway, with constructive contribution being drowned out by a level of imbalanced criticism that can’t be good for readers’ health. So it’s understandable that hearing a report of companies managing discord – using what could be described as, ‘more intelligent’ tactics – almost lifts the spirits!
I think we’d all benefit from seeing a little more of this reporting approach in our social media streams and through broadcasted news as a means to get us through the dark days. It’s considered, rather than instant. It’s effective, rather than reactionary. It’s clever, rather an aggressive. And let’s face it, it’s funny.