Promo overkill: brand suicide?

It started around Black Friday. A typical promotional email from Pottery Barn. Free shipping or something like that. Then it continued. Every. Single. Day.

After Christmas, I thought it would be over. No more annoying emails (one even said “Wow! Free Shipping!”) to delete. But as it turns out, sale season has extended past the Epiphany, because just this Friday I got an email from them boasting 65% off. 65%!

On some days, I get 2 emails from Pottery Barn – one from the general store and one from Pottery Barn Kids. This brand, which I had always seen as a few steps above the likes of Target or Babies R Us, has become a Baby Bargain Basement.

And so it goes for many brands as they freak out about the economy, slash prices, launch out-of-character promotions and cheapen their brands. I’ve heard of similar bombardment-style promo campaigns coming from Bloomingdales, Williams-Sonoma, Restoration Hardware, and Snapfish, as well as a 2-for-1 deal at Trattoria La Tavola, a moderately priced restaurant in Atlanta’s Virginia Highland neighborhood where such deals are unheard of.

On the flip side, there are still some affluent brands who have offered promotions in a much more tasteful manner. Coach, for instance, sent my boss a beautiful direct mail piece during the Christmas season, complete with thick card stock, lined envelope, and an invitation from the CEO to come into any non-outlet store and save 20%. While this is a significant discount for a brand like Coach, the look and feel of the offer was elegant, within the realm of Coach’s current brand identity.

Façonnable sent out a similar direct mail piece for preferred customers to use the weekend before Christmas.

What brands like Coach and Façonnable realize (and many other brands don’t) is that while continuous promotions may increase sales for the short-term, the long-term effects can damage a brand. Maybe permanently.

Perhaps an answer is for brands to send customers more “service” and “advice” emails and less promos. For some it may seem too soft a sell. But let me put it to you this way – if PB Kids starts to send me advice on building the perfect nursery or pleasant service follow-ups after I buy gifts for friends instead of bombarding me with promos, I might have a little more respect for them come next holiday season. Cha-ching!

[Note: Just while writing this, I received an email from Crate & Barrel for up to 70% off. At this rate, everything will be free by Easter.]