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An Object Lesson in Brand Ownership
Ad Age published a story yesterday about Wal-Mart's attempt to create a MySpace social networking equivalent. Unlike MySpace, however, Wal-Mart's site, dubbed "The Hub," has a few rules.
"Wal-Mart's site disqualifies any video with "materials that are profane, disruptive, unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, vulgar, obscene, hateful, or racially or ethnically-motivated, or otherwise objectionable."
Wal-Mart will also e-mail every registered teen's parent and let them arbiter submissions. Plus, content is limited to a headline, favorite songs, and a fashion quiz.
In other words, Wal-Mart's Hub is MySpace without the My. Wal-Mart is confused. It thinks it can own the Hub, and still get teens to participate by simply offering prizes.
Uh, I don't think so.
Like them or not, MySpace pages are channels for their owner's self-expression. These pages are impressionistic, word-image collage-avatars. They're all about identity, and teens are not going to cede control.
So what's motivating Wal-Mart?
They're concerned, among other things, about the bad feedback Wal-Mart is getting when it is compared to Target with teen girls. In my opinion, this isn't going to help. Social networking is not exactly core to the Always Low Prices brand Wal-Mart has cobbled together.
When it comes to brand, it's important to understand "ownership." Trademarks, products, and brand names may be owned by companies, but brands are "owned" by consumers.
Wal-Mart thinks it can "own" a social networking site.
Teens don't.
Posted on July 19, 2006 07:26 AM | Permalink
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Comments
Before I begin, I just want to state a couple of opinions.
1) I don't like Wal-mart. I find the stores to be confusing, way, WAY overcrowded and sell stuff that I don't need or can get somewhere else. If I can avoid Wal-Mart, I will.
2) I'm am skeptical on the social value of MySpace. I see it mostly as a place for teens to hang out and post videos/photos of drunken escapades the prior weekend and not much else. Granted, I do have a Music account on MySpace and use it to network with other musicians and nothing else.
If Wal-mart is worried about Target grabbing bucks, their focus should be on the "apparent lack of cleanliness, messy layout and lack of stylish attire" as mentioned in the article, as opposed to cashing in on a trend (now engraved in social consciousness) that is social networking sites. MySpace is king of that domain and probably always will be.
Kids are impressionable, and I think that this is one way to counter some of the negative image that Walmart has (the not-so-flattering documentary, lawsuits, overcrowded stores). After all, I have seen a lot of kids buy into Michael Moore, Morgan Spurlock, Robert Greenwald, No Logo, etc. etc.
Then, there is the other bunch that follow trends and shop at American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister and Nordstrom. Why? The clothes are nicer and more "in" than the ones at Wal-Mart.
The idea of getting kids to come to your stores by offering a "Hub" and prizes is laughable at best. Wal-mart is not cool, never was and never will be. The fact that the audience they're trying to sell this to is not buying in (as per the quotes in the article) should be a huge barometer for the success of this project. "Big-Brothering" content will not be an attractive feature for people to come on board. And, not only that, if you want to make something really, REALLY uncool for kids/tweens/teens (or whatever the buzz word is these days), get their parents involved...