Last week, we discussed various short term sales promotions – some of which were from retailers and others that were direct from the manufacturer or service provider. This week, we will expand on other digital marketing efforts companies use to communicate and build lasting customer relationships…with a twist.

Your objective this week is to identify a company that has faced a crisis within the past ten years (and one that has not yet been addressed by one of your peers). Need some ideas…check out Dan Cobley’s TED talk Links to an external site.which discusses three brands that faced crisis situations whereby “one bad week can undermine decades of good work” (Cobley, 2010, 4:40-5:50).

In your initial post, describe the direct and digital marketing tactics the brand uses to tailor offers and content to the needs and interests to defined segments or individual buyers to build customer relationships, a brand community, and/or sales.

Examine and summarize the crisis situation. How did the organization handle the crisis using online marketing channels?

Hindsight is 20-20. Was the crisis response and communication effective? Compare and contrast alternative digital communication efforts and provide alternative recommendations.