Bark Box: Marketing Misstep or Stroke of Genius?
Today, our inbox lit up with a surprising message from Bark Box. An apology. Naturally, curiosity piqued, we clicked through, wondering what could possibly warrant such a response.
As we read on, something unexpected happened – laughter bubbled up. Bark Box had us in stitches with their clever approach to addressing whatever mishap had occurred.
Now, the question arises: was this a marketing triumph or a stumble? One thing’s for certain – tongues are wagging, and Bark Box has underscored the power of engaging email content.
Curious to see what amused us so? Read on for the email that had us chuckling.
EMAIL BELOW:
Subject line: An apology: We didn’t know what 69 meant.
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Dear Fellow Pup Parent, On Saturday we sent an email (see below) to our subscribers encouraging them to “$69 with a friend.” To us, it was a simple way to simultaneously give and receive: if they refer a pal to BARK, they both get $69 of BarkShop credit. We have since learned the email, particularly the $69, offended some, and for that, we apologize. |
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In order to remedy this, we are rounding up from $69 to a completely inoffensive $70 of BarkShop credit, and making this available to prospective customers like you. Of course, if you prefer $69, we will not stop you — or judge you! No matter the amount, you deserve to spoil your dog with our shop’s best-selling toys, gifts, home essentials, and more. To clarify, $69 was a random number that our strategy team landed on. However, after seeing the distress the email caused, I Googled “69” and immediately realized this number has other meanings. As an aside, if you search “69” online, I suggest you do so in an “incognito window.” Unfortunately, I used my work laptop and now have to take HR seminars (that I designed) because I inadvertently violated BARK’s HR policy (that I created). Not to mention I am now getting served all SORTS of ads and BARK has an open office plan. Once again, our apologies for any misunderstanding. Our aim is to satisfy our customers and celebrate whatever they may (or may not) be into. |
