NPR recently reported on the crow paradox. Studies have shown, crows can recognize and remember individual humans for years, while humans have a tough time differentiating one black bird from the next.
Interestingly, if you upset one crow, they will caw–cuing another nearby bird to caw and soon the entire flock is mad at you. It’s viral. Not only will they be mad at you then, but when they see you across town, they’ll caw and soon it’s turned into the G version of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds.
The crow paradox could not be more relevant than in the digital age.
When your brand leaves an impression on a consumer, whether it’s good or bad, they will “caw” and let their friends know, either through word-of-mouth or social media. Particularly when something is bad, they can blast their message to hundreds of people, depending on their community influence.
If others agree, they’ll jump on the wagon, creating a banned group of unhappy consumers. And as your brand stretches into the digital space, every logo or mention of your brand they see, they will be reminded of how much they don’t like you.
Before that one person infects a group of people with negativity about your brand, recognize their dissatisfaction and try to rectify it. That means being quick on your toes; being responsive. The more time it takes for you to rectify the situation, the less control you have over the consumers attitude towards your brand.