You’d have to be a killjoy to not smile at the tale of Ritz-Carlton hotel workers reuniting a young boy with Joshie, his beloved stuffed giraffe.
The story serves as a stellar example of surprise and delight. When the Ritz-Carlton staffers saw that the young guest had left his favorite toy behind, they decided to take the opportunity to go the extra mile. They took pictures of Joshie enjoying a grand adventure at the hotel, including a spa visit, before returning the toy to its elated owner.
Brands that want to make a splash on social media are increasingly attempting to use surprise and delight as a marketing tactic. These acts of kindness bring plenty of joy to the lucky beneficiaries, and the incidents spark social network buzz for a hot minute. And while everyone might enjoy the tale of a stuffed giraffe finding its way home, this tactic is more of a marketing stunt than a marketing plan. Instead of gambling with your brand, focus your effort on building true talk triggers — stories that people cannot help but share with their networks.
Talk triggers are operational differentiators that all customers are able to experience every single time they interact with your brand. It might be almos… Read More