my blog

Earlier today Maclaren USA Inc announced a recall of every buggy / stroller they have sold since 1999 after they received 15 reports of childres finger tips being amputated after placing their finger in the pushchair's hinge mechanism.

Models affected by the recall include Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph, Twin Techno and Easy Traveller.

Consumers were told to contact Maclaren at (877) 688-2326 or through the web site http://www.maclaren.us/recall for more information.

What MacLaren clearly failed to adequately prepare for is the speed at which parents alone are able to communicate via a combination of email, facebook, Twitter and forums. The web site has been overwhelmed rendering it unavailable for hours. They should have predicted such an announcement would lead to massive server loads bearing in mind this product recall effected nearly 1 million + consumers.

Whilst there is no doubt that MacLaren have acted in the best interest of consumers and children in making the announcements, one has to wonder what damage is being done to their reputation whilst people Tweet and Facebook whilst the corporate site is unavailable and no proper message is available.

It is a sobering warning for any brand manager, the power and speed of social networking is phenominal. If you have bad news to tell, make sure you mention it to IT first.