Nobody notices, because nobody cares. That’s how products usually die. Sluggish then spiralling sales. A few desperate promotions perhaps, or a last hurrah on the shelf of a variety discounter. And then gone for good, the only remaining trace it ever existed – an Instagram feed that hasn’t been updated for nine months.
This isn’t the way products die: a big announcement on social media that a brand’s best-selling variant is about to be discontinued, complete with its own hashtag, angel wing graphics and carefully copywritten sign-off.
So went Lipton’s marketing stunt last week, which claimed its Peach Ice Tea flavour was to be discontinued. “We know – it hurts (sorry if we’ve ruined your go-to afternoon chill bev). But don’t worry, the rest of your faves are still here to keep you refreshed. #RIPeach,” the post stated.
Days later and guess what? Well, duh. “Got my dates mixed up…thought it was April Fools already” the brand posted. Laugh? I barely started.
The stunt drew a handful of relieved comments on Instagram from users that, let’s not forget, follow an iced tea brand. And some media coverage was secured on the “fan fury” [Daily Mail’s portrayal of mild disappointment] that Peach was being pulled, as well as the inevitable follow up that actually, it wasn’t.
An effective marketing move?
With a copy-and-paste (even down to the graphics, tone of voice and allusions to a premature April Fools) stunt less than a week later, Lynx Africa seems to think so, feigning a delisting of the fragrance just a week later. Aldi – although at least knowingly – did their own rip-off, pretending the middle aisle was coming to an end.
If the stunts were intended to drive sales, it’s the fmcg equivalent of a high street shop displaying a big ‘Liquidation Sale’ sign in the window, but not ever actually closing down (which is, by the way, unlawful as per the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008).
But in reality, the strategy seems to go no further than engagement baiting and attention for the sake of it, without any follow-up or bigger picture (except perhaps to hit some end-of-year performance KPIs).
Worse still – it’s not even an original idea. And it’s beyond tired. Old Jamaica in October launched a campaign appearing to herald the end of the ginger beer brand. “Enjoy it before it’s gone” the brand said, before later revealing the con and posting – ahahahahahah – “Did anyone actually think we were signing off?”.
No, actually. They didn’t.
There are countless other examples, each as obviously untrue as the last. The brand equivalent of an insufferable influencer shouting ‘It was just a prank bro!’ at a bemused member of the public. Ultimately, the brands using it come across as insincere, comfortable with manipulating their fans for short-term fame, and perhaps gravest of all – unfunny.
As one user posted on Lipton’s big reveal post: “Can we not with this new marketing strategy, it’s annoying.”
The fake death marketing stunt must die.
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