Story in yesterday’s WSJ
When Dogs and Robots Collide, Somebody Needs a Talking To
Fascinating story about the relationship between dogs and robots:
“The trouble started when Mr. Hearn first turned on his Roomba automatic cleaner. When the device started scooting around the floor, Mr. Hearn’s dog, Argos, attacked it.
Seeking help, Mr. Hearn found an online forum dedicated to the hundred-dollar Roomba buzzing with similar stories of pet assailants. Owners were offering advice. Among the most popular: Chastise the vacuum in front of the dog.
And so, with Argos looking on, Mr. Hearn shook his finger at his gadget and sternly called it “a bad Roomba.” Argos appeared to be mollified. “After that, he never tried nipping at it again,” says Mr. Hearn, a software engineer in San Carlos, Calif.”
I am listing this as a social media winner, because Roomba was smart enough to get out of the way and let it’s customers do what they wanted with the brand – and guess what – they ended up with a picture on the front page of the WSJ and were the most emailed story in the WSJ yesterday.
Wow – I would challenge any agency to plan that campaign!
TO’B
June 20, 2008 at 10:16 pm |
I love this story! It is so true that the customers do their own problem solving. I will say though that on the flip side, when they do need serious tech support – please be quick to provide that! It really is important!