Usually when companies fund studies, the results underscore some point the firm’s top executives want to make, but at least the study will offer a sliver of interesting and/or useful information.
Not so with a survey put out by marketing services provider Epsilon last week. The company claimed an unnamed “independent” research firm surveyed 50 of its clients on customer satisfaction.
You’ll never guess the results. Here goes:
“Epsilon Clients Who Use Multiple Services ‘Very Satisfied,’ Says Leading Industry Research Firm,” said the headline of the release touting the survey. “Independent Survey of Epsilon’s Customers Shows 100% Would Recommend the Company to Colleagues,” said the subhead.
The release then delivered a series of bullet points detailing how wonderful Epsilon’s clients think the company is.
The release never did name who this independent research firm was.
Here is the problem with Epsilon’s release: When deciding whether or not to cover company announcements, trade reporters must determine whether the development offers value to their readers. Granted, some make these judgments more loosely than others, but it really does come down to deciding if the target audience of a publication will find the information interesting and/or useful, preferably both.
Epsilon’s “clients love us” survey would be a perfect lead story for a company newsletter aimed at employees. But no one else on the planet gives a rat’s patoody about this development.
It’s hard to imagine an experienced PR professional hatching this idea. More likely, it was driven by a higher up who thinks he knows how to get media coverage.
Tellingly, and somewhat gratifyingly, not a single trade rag picked Epsilon’s release up.
