Primark is doing all it can to try to rescue its reputation after Panorama exposed supplier links to child labour practices.
The company has a sponsored link (www.ethicalprimark.com) which pops up whenever you do a search on Primark and Child Labour. It is packed with videos and statements on Primark's policies and its response to the original Panorama programme. It probably cost a lot to put together.
Will the online strategy work? Buying search links reflects a traditional broadcast mindset. It might do a bit to offset some of the controversy which was generated by the original programme. However long term Primark needs to be engaging with customers and stakeholders online in a meaningful way and having conversations. It needs to join the conversations about Primark. Aboveall Primark and its views on how it conducts business should be a natural part of the internet. They shouldn't have to try to buy attention to get their point across and buying attention is not sustainable as the web - through social media tools - is now so much more dynamic.Having a sponsored link will not stop people blogging about Primark and how is Primark going to react to those conversations if people can't be bothered to follow the link or refer to it?
Iit is interesting to see that underneath Primark's sponsored link is a site called Cleanupfashion (www.cleanupfashion.co.uk). It comes high up the search list on a natural basis and is all about issues in the fashion industry. It has a section on Primark and a discussion forum. If people go here first, they will not see any of the material on Primark's sponsored link and as far as I could see there was no involvement from Primark in that site to put across their views. Nor was there any evidence on that site that they have acknowledged Primark's sponsored link or the material it showcases.
The key point here is that companies can issue statements online and buy space to publish them. But there is no guarantee that people will pay any attention to them. The best thing Primark could do is to develop a strategy to immerse itself in the online fashion consumer culture and start to listen to what is being said about them and join in, correcting mistakes and pointing and linking to their official policies. Buying space does not constitute a conversation nor is it going to enable Primark's messages to travel effectively through all the relevant fashion consumer networks.
www.itsopen.co.uk
