The number of vehicles recalled in 2014 exceeded the number for the previous three years combined. This year isn’t shaping up to be much better — we’ve already seen massive recalls such as Blue Bell’s listeria contamination and Takata’s air bags.
In article on Huff Post Business posted this week, Eric Dezenhall wonders if “we are really living in a minefield of killer products” or if something else entirely is going on.
Dezenhall points to something he calls the “Age of the Viral Recall” and “today’s scandal environment.” Because social media allows any slight product defect to potentially go viral, companies are likely to overcompensate and recall extra products to avoid bad press.
“It’s harder today to differentiate where legitimate hazards end and mass psychology begins,” says Dezenhall.
Social media can definitely work against a manufacturer in the event of a recall, but it can also help a manufacturer control the message once the recall has been issued.
Josephine Hardy posted a piece to the Datarank blog in March about the effectiveness of Blue Bell’s social media presence during their listeria crisis.
Hardy pointed out that social media engagement during a recall helps manufacturers inform customers more effectively, get in front of misinformation and rumors and demonstrate more active concern for their consumers.
Blue Bell didn’t post on an official company social media account, but the Blue Bell Ice Cream fan page on Facebook linked to the company’s website for the recall statement in March. Datarank found that the consumer response was overwhelmingly empathetic and supportive. In fact, the analysis of Facebook comments about Blue Bell showed that 76% of the comments were positive.
How do you think social media impacts manufacturers’ recall processes? Comment below or tweet @MNetBridget.
