I’ve woken up to an inbox of emails & facebook comments from friends and associates asking me what I think of yesterdays’ viral instore incident at GASP.

All I can say is, GASP you have left me gasping.

If it was a publicity stunt, in my humble opinion it flopped. If it was indeed an actual occurrence, once again your customer service has flopped. People are actually suggesting, that as a PR exercise, it’s worked. “We’re all talking about the store and that is a good thing.”

Ask yourself one question. Will you now go buy from that store? Not just visit, will you feel compelled to actually go there to make a purchase?

Well I say most won’t and that’s why it’s bad publicity. Just having your name mentioned publicly, or appearing virally across millions of computer screens doesn’t mean it’s been a good exercise. That brand has taken a serious battering for one reason only. We’re all talking about it but I doubt we will see an increase in sales as a result of it. I doubt very much as a result of it, that this morning they are growing a new band of loyal customers and if store traffic increases, it will only be to catch a glimpse of the salesperson involved.

If that’s the way, modern retailers think is a great way to increase store traffic, I’ll continue to gasp!

Publicity stunts drawing attention to a brand is a good thing. Stunts that draw publicity to a damaged brand only consolidate the fact, in the consumers’ mind, it’s a brand not worth being associated with. If you think it is, I would suggest you have a very twisted opinion of how people should be treated.

No trust means no loyalty means no sales. Sustainable? No.

If this was a publicity stunt, someone needs to be asking some tough questions, who and why, approved such an event.

The only more ridiculous outcome would be, that the salesperson involved, is signed up for their own talkback show. Now that wouldn’t surprise me!