Scalable Intimacy

Branding in the age of social media.

Timbuk2’s Transparency Marketing

Posted on | October 20, 2009 | Comments

This is very interesting…

Recently got a new laptop bag from Timbuk2, so I could look more like a bike messenger despite being 43, chubby, and driving a BMW. I digress.

Anyhoo… I upgraded to the better shoulder strap, which is comfy, but slides off my shoulder. Crap.

I get an e-mail from Timbuk2 asking how I like the bag, with a link to a feedback site. I enter the feedback, and despite it being negative they offer to post it – automatically – on my blog. So I did:

Originally submitted at Timbuk2

Rugged ballistic nylon; compatible with all bags.

(legalese)

Useless. Slides off shoulder.

By @miketrap from Boston, MA on 10/20/2009
Pros: Easy To Use, Compact, Durable
Cons: Does Not Work, Pointless
Describe Yourself: High-end Shopper
1out of 5

Love the bag, but hate that it slides so easily off my shoulder despite upgrading to the better shoulder pad. Very disappointing.

Is that why Timbuk2 is now de rigeur among the digerati? Would you have to cojones to do the same for your product?

Here’s what I know: I am now a believer in Timbuk2 (the bag is great even if the pad sucks.) If they were Zappos, they’d find this post, and send me a better one.

That’s what it will take to win with consumers in the future, folks. And by “future” I mean 5 years from now for middle-aged white guys like me. I mean Thursday for anyone who’s used facebook since they were, like, totally a freshman.

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