Has anyone out there watched the TV show called Undercover Boss on CBS?  I caught the first episode featuring the CEO of Waste Management after the Super Bowl. I finally had the chance to sit down and watch the episode featuring the CEO of the Hooters restaurant chain.  I know what you’re thinking.  It had nothing to do with catching a glimpse of the scantily clad waitresses.  I read in February that Hooters wasn’t doing well financially due to the recession and was shopping itself to a number of private-equity firms.

I’m sure the recession has some bearing on the financials of Hooters but after watching the episode I think Hooters suffers from what Don Libey affectionately calls “Idiot Son Syndrome!”  While his late father started and successfully built up Hooters, the second generation son who took over the chain, obviously born with a silver spoon in his mouth, seemed clueless about the obvious reasons why the chain was having not just sales issues, but major morale issues with its people.

I could not believe how clueless the CEO was about the day-to-day operations of his business.  For example, in one undercover assignment he worked at one of the company’s packaging plants and stated to one of the managers that he hadn’t set foot in the place since he was 17.  The manager told him most of the people in the plant have never seen the new CEO and don’t even realize it’s the son!  The son has to be in his mid to late 40’s.  Where has he been the past 25 years?  Collecting a pay check and playing with his toys instead of making himself visible….obviously.

In another segment of the show the CEO participates in a street promotion-handing out coupons to a new restaurant that just opened in Dallas-with two Hooters gals at his side.  Doing this he hears positive but mostly negative feelings people have towards the restaurant chain.  The CEO seemed concerned and rather surprised to hear these remarks.  He must have ear muffs on for the past 10 years sheltering him from the feminist cries!  Again clueless!

In today’s economic climate, CEOs and business leaders have to be visionaries and at the same time not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to know all the facets of the business they are in charge of.

I’ll be placing a call into Hooters pronto.  They could definitely use Johnson Direct’s PR Services!

Rob Trecek
Director of Business Development
rob.trecek@johnsondirect.com

Today’s BizTimes Milwaukee had an interesting story on a local non-profit leveraging social media networks to push it’s annual donation drive to younger donors.  The article, “Use Social Media to Build Your Tribe”, reports that the campaign was successful, bringing in $12,460 of new donations.  While the quantitative results of the campaign were positive, some organizations may look at the “small” number and think it’s not enough to cover the investment of time and resources.  Those companies are wrong…

Social media isn’t just about quantity.  It’s about starting the dialog with your audience.  My strong belief is that the true measure of ROI in social media isn’t quantitative in nature, its qualitative.  Engagement may very well be an overused, ill-defined buzzword, but the truth is that the number of followers you have, links you post or dollars you earn mean little unless you develop an ongoing relationship with those that show interest in your brand.  Conversing with your audience and providing useful, relevant information so it can be shared with others will benefit you more in the long run.

Fortunately, the United Way of Greater Milwaukee got it right.  The spokeswoman for the organization didn’t define success as the number of dollars raised, but said “the relationships we managed to build will be worth exponentially more in the future”.  Bravo!

Anthony Piwarun
eMarketing
anthony.piwarun@johnsondirect.com

Direct marketing consultant and Big Fat Marketing Blog contributor Grant Johnson was interviewed by BBC World Service’s “World Have Your Say” radio show on Monday about his thoughts on the Susan Boyle phenomenon.

To hear the podcast, go to iTunes or click here www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/whys/

To read Grant’s blog post about Boyle, click here: bigfatmarketingblog.com/2009/04/16/susan-boyle-youtube-sensation/

To read what Grant says marketers can learn from the phenomenon, click here:
chiefmarketer.com/disciplines/online/0429-marketing-success-ecommunication/index.html