Name And Shame! Which?

PHILDAVIES4

MSE_Martin wrote:

NAME AND SHAME! WHICH?

I thought long and hard about this, but there's no way round it. In my hand's a 'Which? £300,000 Double Fortune Draw', the type of shoddy marketing that gives companies a bad name.

For Which? to be doing it is shameful. I've huge respect for Consumers Association. It leads great campaigns, forces change and is a 'Super Consumer' in the Courts yet this has now been rebranded to Which? as well, so it's tarnished too. Hopefully some negative publicity will make it think.

Someone has to watch the Watchdog, so i'd like to know your thoughts?

Which? have been doing this for years, it's how they entice people to sign up for 3 month trials. I don't have a problem with it, on the whole they're a useful bunch!

TrickyTrotter_2

I'm fairly philosophical about it. They have been using this marketing technique for some years, and it has never influnced my subscription levels (Which and Which Online).

I believe CA have undertaken many laudable campaigns, and some not some clever, but at the end of the day they are one of the few independent sources of information for consumer affiars and purchases, and they need funding to operate. They can't test every model of every appliance, so probably target those they think of most interest to their subscriber base. I don't always believe their best buys are necessarily the best, but they are a good staring point when making a puchase.

kingofherts

MSE_Martin wrote:

This isn't about "Is the Consumers Association good or bad?" but "Should the Consumers Association use this type of marketing" - my opinion is NO!

Ok Martin

Lets say you are now head of marketing at which? what would you do?

Also

Do you yourself subscribe to Which? see as you speak highly of the CA?

The_4th_Wise_Man

I agree with you, Martin - has anyone ever won of their "superb" prizes I wonder?

I'm fed up with being sent the "lucky" set of "winning" documents and having to put my shredder to work yet again, which (sic) I wish I could halt - something an avid Which? reader of several years should be entitled to I think (unless you actually win something some time)!

Mind you, I never win any comps anyhow (not me seeing the glass somewhat pessimistically as half-empty, just a plain fact - well not for a long time anyway, since I won a "Dark Side of the Moon" prize)!

Dream on ... :rolleyes:

rwgibson98

Mardler wrote:

....Two subjects I knew rather a lot about happened to be prominent - and they got both horrendously wrong. Subsequent experience has proven the point over and over again, basically, they are generalist journos on a mission and no detailed knowledge at all...

This is the reason why I cancelled my subscription to Which?. I can't share Martin's belief in the Consumers Association, subjects of which I have some knowledge exposed their weaknesses, and my confidence in their findings or recommendations were severely knocked.

I'm not saying they're biased (e.g. "The Sun" recommending subscriptions to Sky tv), just not-as-competant as needed.

As an organisation, they seem very media-friendly; you can tell which day the magazine is published by the number of news stories on the BBC that feature the phrase "...according to a report by the Consumers Association...".

This is one area where t'internet has expanded consumer choice; if I wanted to know where to put my son's Child Trust Fund voucher, I'd look here at MSE and not Which? If I wanted to upgrade my computer I'd look at PC Pro and not Which?, buy a new car I'd look at What Car? and not Which? etc. Having said that, if I wanted a new washing machine, I'd be down the library digging through the back issues.

And yes, the marketing is tacky and irritating, and reflects badly on the CA.

MSE_Martin

It's interesting to read the above.

Just to answer "why now, it's been going on for years?"

Previously there was Which? the magazine and the policy advising and campaigning body the Consumers Association. Now they're both called Which? The policy advisors appear on TV and radio as Which? There's nothing wrong with this, it helps sell their work, which is of course the aim of the rebranding. Yet, this means this horrid type of marketing is now spread to the policy body - that's new - i don't like it.

King of hearts. If i were the head of marketing for Which i would stop this type of direct mail shots. Sell the virtues of what the product (ie the magazine is) do the TV ads its started doing by all means, but don't sink to stoop down to the depths of the worst of commercial marketing

And do i subscribe to Which. I will admit to you as a journalist i automatically get sent a copy. So while i read it i don't pay for it and can't claim to. As for Which? I've worked with many of its journalists, interviewed some when i started out, appeared on programmes with them. Many of them of great people and passionate about the subject which i admire. And in private when I've raised this with a couple - they hate this marketing too - they just aren't free to say it in public as I am!

Niklos

I think it is a disgraceful practice. It's also hypocritical: they won't accept advertising but they're happy to bombard people with junk advertising mail. Worst of all, though: the sub is very high (> £5 an issue I think) which they say is because they have no ad and have to buy all the products to test themselves BUT where is the £300,000 prize coming from?

chateau42

I subscribe to Which?, stopped the Computer one. I tend to agree with Martin. However Which have been doing this sort of thing for a some time. Suggest one gets the free issues, cancel DDs and maybe somebody wins. Maybe I should cancel subscription, it would pay this years monthly council tax increase, dont know about next year!!!

chompie

i received a dodgy looking thing in the post that looked like a bad readers digest draw. I saw the logo and thought 'Hmm this is not the which i know' i looked on the internet the same crappy symbol with a poor web-site, and i thought someone was trying to use the which name to rip people off

A bad move by Which me thinks

40079

Martin is quite right to highlight this new link between the CA and Which? created by the rebranding.

Which? magazine is indeed a shoddy pretence at balanced, well researched journalism. The piece they ran a few months ago on credit cards was so ludicrously shallow, misleading and downright wrong in places as to be scandalous.

I agree with rwgibson98- steer well clear of which? and go for the relevant specialist magazine or chat forums.

As for the marketing campaigns- chuck them in the bin or treat them like any other offer, take their freebies and then cancel