Maker’s Mark learns a lesson
In a surprise announcement over the weekend,
Maker’s Mark,
the Loretto, KY-based whisky producer, recanted their recent decision to water down their 90 proof bourbon in order to stretch supplies. It seems their devotees had quite a bit to say about this decision, and flooded Maker’s Mark’s social media channels to such an extent that their protestations could not be ignored.
In a Facebook post entitled
“You spoke. We listened.”
Maker’s Mark pours out a rather humble apology to their fans and urges them to continue to speak their minds. (The note even includes the direct email addresses of two executives at the family-run company). Evidance gathered from Twitter shows that they were right to swallow their pride: tweets of elation after yesterday’s announcement flooded in from the likes of Isaac from The Hansons, actress Patricia Heaton and actor/writer Andy Richter. If you are still searching for proof that social media is worth your business’s time/money, this is a prime example.
Had Maker’s Mark preempted their decision with an online explanation of their plan and reasoning, they doubtless would have saved significant time and money in preparing for the shift in production. Be sure that you do not make a similar mistake with your brand. If you have a well-established following of loyal fans engaging with you across social platforms, use them as a sounding board whenever possible. They say the customer is always right, after all.
