Some months ago I started subscribing to the Hello Fresh meal-kit service because I was puzzled about the international juggernauts foray into a Danish market that I already found quite saturated.
Fast forward a few months, and I am still subscribing to the service. Yes, it has it’s kinks and minor mistakes here and there, and yes, sometimes deliveries are a bit late. But overall the concept works, and it has made catering for the family meals a slightly less daunting and stressful task.
So while the service as such works, I am not too enthusiastic about the way that Hello Fresh aggressively markets their service;
Buying advertorials in leading tabloids is one thing. No problem there. But doing the same on less reputable marketing blogs with dodgy names and even dodgy’er content is just stupid IMHO.
On short term metrics the approach may work. But by associating themselves with these kinds of methods, they’re exposing their brand – the core of the service – into a less positive light, where people start to get annoyed.
I mean, why in Gods name do I get these ads in my Facebook feed multiple times every single day, when I am already a loyal subscriber?
The only thing these ads make me do is read the comments, where people are complaining about the advertising and relating them to some less than stellar reviews of the service on Trustpilot.
Customers are adding the numbers up, and my bet is that the tactics are keeping more people from subscribing than adding new subscribers to the service.
The trouble for Hello Fresh is that they will most likely not see this ‘dark number’ of potentiel subscribers who decide against the service. And they should. Because that is ALSO a direct result of their marketing efforts.
Therefore, dear Hello Fresh: Please review your marketing strategy and approach and stop giving your own concept and service a bad…ehhm…taste in the mouth.
(Photo: Pixabay.com)