Complaint publicity – it’s a thing, especially on social media. Last year in the US, a National Customer Rage Study was conducted and found that social media has become a pivotal portal for pre-purchasing reasoning and post-purchase griping and the number of customers who prefer to vent their grievances via digital platforms rather than by phone or in-person has tripled over the past the three years.
The US also has the highest concentration of “I want to speak to the manager”, Karens. South Africa ranked 9th on Bionic’s list of the top 10 countries with the most Karens.
Budget Insurance has a simple solution and together with FoxP2, have launched a campaign that encourages consumers to sweeetch, not beeetch. Paying too much? Sweeetch! Not getting the service you expect? Sweeetch! Time for a change? Sweeetch!
According to Susan Steward, Head of Marketing for Budget Insurance: “Times are tough and the tougher they get, the tighter consumer’s budgets become. Consumers are scrutinising their spend closely and insurance being the grudge purchase that it is, has just become grudgier. Instead of moaning about it, we’re encouraging consumers to take action and save money – about R408* – while doing so.”
Grant Jacobsen from FoxP2 explains: “The campaign is built on that universally South African truth: we all know someone who can’t stop complaining. People who are so predictable with their beeetching, we invent ways to avoid them. But no more, ‘cos next time ‘Karen’ starts beeetching at the family braai, just be like “hey Karen, don’t beeetch, sweeetch” – and then casually get back to tending your boerie.”
Steward notes that they are ready for the ‘Karens’ that may take offence to the use of the word beeetch however, “our reference to beeetch is a verb and is not to be confused with the derogatory noun.”
Budget Insurance’s don’t beeetch, sweeetch campaign can be watched here:
