Taco Bell's New App Offers Flavorful Real-Time Social Media Example

Earlier this week it was brought to my attention in an article by The Huffington Post that Taco Bell introduced a new version of its app allowing people to create a custom order, pay and save order preferences for future orders. The app even has a feature to indicate when users get to Taco Bell so the order can be prepared on arrival. If this doesn’t count as an example of real-time social media customer service and PR I don’t know what does.

First of all, maybe I am a little behind on the latest trends because I did not even know fast food chains like Taco Bell had its own app. Apparently, apps are the next big thing in turns of fast food chains because McDonald's and Starbucks also have apps both utilize to bring customers coupons and promotional updates.

The article noted Taco Bell’s app allowing customers create custom orders and pick up prepared on arrival food set this app apart from apps used by other food chains. Taco Bell hopes this app supplemented with other tactics will boost sales to $14 billion by 2022. I think Taco Bell has a great fighting chance to reach this goal.

In Scott’s book “Real-Time Marketing and PR” he says time and time again that speed and agility rule supreme in real-time marketing because people want things NOW and this app delivers in the speed of NOW. Instead of taking time to stand in line, relay your order to a cashier and wait until your food is ready this app cuts out the wait time and allows you to place and pay for your order where ever you are in real-time. As Scott would note in Chapter 3 this app allows Taco Bell to respond to what customers say as they say it.

Additionally, Taco Bell made a bold move by shutting down all its social media platforms in order to draw attention to the new app. For example, if you visit Taco Bell’s Facebook page all you will be able to see is a picture that reads “The new way to Taco Bell isn’t on Facebook it’s #onlyintheapp.” When today’s world of PR is all about incorporating social media, I think it will be very interesting to see how Taco Bell’s decision not to engage customers online will unfold.

I tried using Taco Bell’s app the other night and contrary to what some hesitant consumers might think it works really well. I was able to enter my credit card information, place my order and notify Taco Bell when I was coming to pick it up without any problems. When I got to Taco Bell, all I had to do was give my name at the drive-thru and my food was prepared without any confusion.

The next time you think about making a late night Taco Bell run try placing your order from the comfort of your room so all you have to do it pick it up when you arrive. Don’t be scared to be an early adopter and take advantage of Taco Bell’s real-time social media marketing campaign.

Enjoying Good "Company"

This past weekend I attended Ohio Northern’s musical performance of "Company." I went specifically to support a friend; however I took away much more from the show than I anticipated.

I have always been a fan of musicals. My absolute favorite musical to see live is "Footloose" because I love to dance, and I participated in my high school’s version of the show. However, I have not attended a musical performance in quite some time and seeing "Company" made me remember why I love them.

Musicals just have a way drawing me in and holding my attention. There is something about having the story told through song and dance instead of only words that energizes me and "Company" was no exception. Every one in the cast had strong and beautiful voices. I have class with the majority of the actors and even though am not friends with all of them it was very cool to see my classmates effortlessly performing on stage.

The other thing I loved about "Company" was seeing it in Freed’s Stambaugh Studio Theatre. Because this theater is smaller, you are much closer to the actors and at times you almost feel like you are part of the action. Stambaugh Theatre creates an intimate experience where you can read the actors facial expressions and feel their emotions.

I work at the box office at the Freed Center so sometimes the joy of seeing a Freed Center performance gets lost for me, and I rarely get to be a spectator instead of a box office manager. However, I decided to let myself enjoy a show instead of viewing it as a place I come to work, and I am glad I did. The cast of "Company" did an amazing job in every way. The vocals, acting, dancing, enthusiasm and professionalism were all evident in this performance. Congratulations to the cast and everyone who worked so hard on "Company". You all made reminded me why I musicals.

Finding a Social Balance in the Business World

Chapter 13 in David Meerman Scott’s Book “Real-Time Marketing & PR” is all about the importance of creating a social media plan for a company and then allowing employees to engage in real-time conversations through social media. Scott also mentions how about 25 percent of large organizations block employee access to online social media. In this blog post I would like to give my opinion on what Scott discusses from the perspective of a student studying public relations. 

First of all, I could not agree more with Scott’s emphasis and importance on creating a social media plan and guidelines for a company. Social media has become an integrated and even necessary form of communication in today’s society.  Chances are very high employees at a given company are going to have some sort of presence on social media. Not having a social media policy in place would be asking for disaster. Without a social media policy companies are bound to have at least one employee slip up on social media and create a crisis for the organization. 

Also, you would probably be surprised to learn how many companies and organizations don’t have a social media policy. For example, I am part of a firm project right now working on creating a social media plan for a high profile organization on campus because it does not currently have a plan in place. The bottom line is you will save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run by taking the time to create a detailed social media plan.

Next, the fact that 25 percent of large organizations block employee access to online social media angers me. When you put restrictions on people’s voice you do more harm than good. I read a book this past summer that said employees are unlikely to abuse privileges granted to them in the work place. Contrary to popular belief, the more freedom you give someone at work, the more it benefits the company because people feel empowered and trusted. However, you don’t want an anything goes policy and that’s why it is important to have a social media plan in place.

Chapter 13 suggests two extreme policies that emerge when it comes to how companies handle social media. There are companies with absolutely no type of social media plan in place, and there are companies that completely restrict social media use among employees. Neither of these extremes are a good approach.  The right way to handle social media is to find a balance between these two ideas. Create a plan with guidelines, make the plan known to all employees and then allow them to engage because social media cannot be ignore as a form of communication in today’s society.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Flavor Creates Chilling Perception

Public relations is all about how people perceive a person or a brand. As I have said in previous posts, it doesn’t matter how YOU think your company is being portrayed, what matters is the way the PUBLIC perceives your company. Sometimes the two perspectives don’t line up; such was the case in a recent issue surrounding Ben & Jerry’s.

According to an article by PR Daily, Ben & Jerry’s came under fire for the name of a new ice cream flavor. The new flavor called “Hazed and Confused” was a name conceptualized by Ben & Jerry’s marketing team as clever spin off of the phase “dazed and confused” because of the ice cream’s hazelnut fudge core. 

After six months on the market with no complaints, a couple from Tampa, Florida spoke up about their disgust for the name. The couple said the ice cream name was suggestive of fraternity hazing which sometimes leads to humiliation or death of students. This same couple lost their 19-year-old son after a fraternity hazing incident resulted in a fatal head injury.

Ben & Jerry’s assessed its marketing concept and concluded the misinterpretation of the name was an isolated case because of the couple’s past experiences and chose not to change the name of the ice cream. However, Ben & Jerry’s released a statement firmly establishing its stance on hazing saying the company in no way supports or believes in such harmful practices. 

The bottom line is Ben & Jerry’s had some customers who perceived the name of the new ice cream flavor in a completely different way than it intended. Ben & Jerry’s thought it was being clever and relatable by playing off of a commonly used phase. However, due to past experiences some customers associated the name with college hazing which created a minor crisis for Ben & Jerry’s.

Boasting About Bluffton

As much as I love Ada (insert sarcasm), I want to talk about a neighboring town: Bluffton, Ohio. If you find yourself bored on a chilly Saturday afternoon as I did this past weekend you should consider making the 20 minute drive to Bluffton. Even though Bluffton isn’t a booming metropolis, it has a few gems you won’t find in Ada that are worth checking out. I am going to share a list of the places you should visit on your next adventure to Bluffton.

1. Shannon Theatre- Shannon Theatre is Bluffton’s locally owned and operated movie theater. Much like the Ada movie theater, there is only one screen and therefore only one movie offered at a time, but all 2D shows are $3. Let me repeat that: The price for all 2D shows is $3. I happened to see “Alexander & The Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very-Bad-Day” while I was there. Sure this wasn’t an award-winning movie, but it was definitely worth $3. It kept me laughing and you should see it at least once.

2. Shirley’s Popcorn- If you are going to hit up Shannon Theatre for a movie you should stop by Shirley’s Popcorn beforehand to get some snacks for the show. Shirley’s Popcorn has been in Bluffton for many years and specializes in making gourmet popcorn the old-fashion way. Shirley’s offers many unique flavors such as s’mores, Bluffton and even ONU flavored popcorn. The staff there is very friendly and will gladly let you taste test any flavor before purchasing it. This isn’t your average popcorn: Shirley’s popcorn is made with history, experience and out of this world flavor you won’t find anywhere else.

3. Et Cetera Shop- Along the same side of the street as Shannon Theatre and Shirley’s Popcorn you will find the Et Cetera Shop. Et Cetera is a thrift shop operated by the Mennonite Central Committee. If you are looking for a bargain or a cheap Halloween costume like I was, Et Cetera is a cool place to look around. It has everything from clothes to kitchen utensils to craft supplies. While I was there I got a belt for .75 cents and scored some used clothes for my Halloween costume. You can’t get better deals anywhere else.

4. Common Grounds- Common Grounds is Bluffton’s version of Northern on Main. It’s a coffee shop offering a wide variety of specialty coffee drinks and deli sandwiches. The atmosphere is cozy and cool with many different tables and seating options. Also, there are plenty of outlets and free Wi-Fi if you want to bring your laptop along to get some work done. The coffee is delicious, and you can’t beat the atmosphere of a local coffee shop.

5. The Food Store- Your last stop on your adventure to Bluffton should be The Food Store. While you probably won’t purchase anything here it is interesting to browse the shelves. The Food Store offers every kind of natural food, herb, dairy product, vitamin or remedy you could think of. Some of the food and supplements I saw in this store, like shark cartilage, I never even knew existed. It’s an entertaining stop to see what’s out there and if you happen to be into cooking with top notch organic products then this is the place for you.

So the next time you find yourself in need of some inexpensive fun, take a trip to Bluffton. It’s not too far and all the local businesses make for an enjoyable and quality experience.