Raging Hormones? No, Just Bad Marketing

A recently received promo about a recampaigning product, Hot Flash: The Menopause Game,  caused some big waves around our office yesterday. Unfortunately I don't think this was the kind of buzz the game was hoping for. Check out our responses:

• "Wow. Just when I thought I'd seen the worst product releases possible, something like this comes to my inbox…I'm envisioning Chutes & Ladders… Not to drag out this game's undeserved 15 minutes of office-email fame, but look at this site. At the bottom are the game pieces that players can choose from. You will not believe what they are [...birth control, diaphragms, and tampons to name a few].
• "The first thing that came to my mind was that they probably have a property called 'Out-of-Order Ovaries St.'"
• "I think I'm offended. Someone really dropped the ball on this idea."
• "My God, and I thought Monopoly was offensive….This is getting me so angry."
• "Offended doesn't even begin to describe my reaction.  I obviously don't know who created this, but I wouldn't put it past being from another annoying female Baby Boomer trying to cash in on her generation's reluctance to grow old gracefully." 
• "This sounds more like a twist on Candy Land. I think the blog post will be: When Good Marketing Tactics Go Wrong."

When good marketing tactics go wrong – precisely. I have not seen a campaign more ignorant of its potential consumers. From the game’s pawns that purpotedly "represent" womanhood to its off-color spaces (such as Forgetful Forest and Lustless Lane), Hot Flash entirely misses the notion of a woman’s views concerning the issue--to the point where this game becomes a distasteful joke. I can honestly say I'm surprised that someone would even try and breathe some new life into this product.  Just from the reactions in our office, I can only imagine what the rest of the consumer market will say, but I know it won't be positive.

Rather than being successfully witty as I hope the makers originally intended, this product topped charts in causing offense and border-line outrage here.  I think it’s safe to say that new, controversial products walk a fine line to create buzz marketing. And this game crossed way over.

For examples of successful products, visit Ideas Express at ManageSmarter.com for motivating product information for sales and marketing professionals, brought to you by Potentials magazine.

Comments

[Ron Hayes]

I was wondering how men would react to this game concept so I first went to the site and then had some others and we were all appalled that this would have any positive response at all. Completely bad and tacky.