Localspeak

An Old Out-of-Tune Song: Mucho Macho Man

13 October 2011

Initially introduced in the 1880s as an energizing brain tonic, brand Dr Pepper has had incredible staying power. So witnessing recent uproar over the October 10 launch of its ostensibly new and sexist campaign for Dr Pepper 10, Localspeak turned to our attention to the tracking of net sentiment using our NetBase social media analytics tool for this and the brand’s other marketing campaigns.

Filtering the net sentiment trend line for Dr Pepper commercials in the past 12 months revealed a roller-coaster ride of consumer reaction. Most notable is the share of buzz in October, in which Dr Pepper 10 sentiment already equals that in March for the Vida 23/Pitbull commercials. Although Doxamillion/Pitbull and August Pitbull trend positively, buzz share for those ad campaigns was significantly lower than negative trending sentiment for March and September Pitbull campaigns.

There is a message here.

Committing sacrilege, as we learned in a review of the ad campaign by Ad Chickadee (aka community manager Karen Moran), Dr Pepper 10’s Facebook page removed negative comments.

Dr Pepper Commercial Net Sentiment – October 2010-2011

Dr Pepper 10: No Ladies Allowed

Boasting the launch tagline “It’s Not for Women,” Dr Pepper 10 predictably fueled some misogynistic sentiment. But as our net sentiment detail indicates, it is with a backlash by women AND men, as Ms. Moran posted:

Dr Pepper Ten takes a page from Got Milk’s Everything I do is wrong and alienates women – and men
Karen Moran

Ms. Moran revealed the campaign as blatantly sexist, complete with a Dr Pepper 10 Facebook page created exclusively for men. Featuring such sophomoric trappings as a puzzle replete with arcane sexist references that allows male users to create “man-onyms,” the page was offensive to women AND men. The page also includes a shooting gallery and other “manly” games.

To access the page Moran created a personal account posing as a man. When she opted not to participate in the page’s shooting gallery, the following message appeared: This shooting gallery is no place for a woman like you.

Worse, according to Moran the page committed sacrilege: all negative posts were removed.

You can view the ad here on YouTube:

Dr Pepper “Commercials” Net Sentiment Detail– September-October 12, 2011

Other Advertising Highlights

Fergie Cherry – July Net Sentiment Plunge: Some disappointed Fergie fans were critical of her image in Dr Pepper’s Fergie Cherry commercial, which drove net sentiment down -47% in July:

Love Fergie, hate the Dr Pepper Cherry commercial…she looks like Darth Vader’s wife. She could still get it though! #Fergilicious source

Social sentiment for rapper Pitbull’s appearance in four Dr Pepper spots back in February, March, August and September has been mixed; and lately his appearances may be showing signs of Pitbull fatigue.

Sooo tired of this dr pepper commercial with pitbull. I wonder how long it took him to write the lyrics to that song… source

Juxtaposing tough biker dudes against a clean-cut innocent, passion ran a high 69% in May for the genuinely amusing Dr Pepper spot “What’s It Taste Like” that featured Discovery Channel’s American Chopper star Paul Teutuls Sr.

Insights and Recommendations

➢ Social sentiment analytics can be used effectively as an early detector of consumer response, facilitating corrective action. Even better, prior to locking in advertising creative, pilot spots can be launched virally to test the commercial waters, which could prove valuable in pre-empting such advertising bombs as GSP’s latest “Got Milk” campaign—before it was pulled. Rolling out a full-blown misogynistic viral marketing is just plain stupid, and costly.

➢ Interim social media tracking of artistic campaigns using the same talent over a period of time (e.g. Pitbull) will reveal the underbelly of consumer emotion.

➢ Fans of a particular talent may be turned off to a brand if/when identity is portrayed in questionable form (e.g. Fergie’s Cherry July spot).

➢ Thus far in 2011 Dr Pepper 10’s “It’s Not for Women” and “What’s It Taste Like” campaigns are the only creative spots not featuring a sexy celebrity musical talent. Maybe the time has come for brand Dr Pepper to research and rethink its creative and use of humor—and cease using it at the expense of it consumers, male