Thursday, September 13, 2007

Responding to Tainted Toys Not Child's Pay

Toy companies are scrambling to react to the marketing disaster caused by toys made with lead paint. As a Babies'R'Us customer, I received an email from the President, which takes the right approach in acknowledging the issue and pledging change.

Here are some of the changes promised by the company, according to the e-mail.

A new Safety microsite at www.Toysrus.com/Safety to help you find all product safety and recall information;
- The introduction of an email notification system for product recalls;
- The addition of bilingual recall notices should there be future recalls; and
- The introduction of new Safety Boards in all of our stores, which will contain important product safety information, including recall notices

We are wholly committed to our customers’ safety and have reiterated that simple, single fact to our suppliers and business partners. We will not tolerate products that do not meet our rigorous safety standards.

Disney and Wal-Mart have both promised independent testing of the toys they sell, and Mattel was contrite and promised to do more when testifying before Congress.

While the companies could have been more direct in saying that they should have done better up until now, this form of damage control is a good model for marketers. As long as they live up to the promises, their brands should recover.

Posted By John Gartner at 12:47 PM
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