Skip to Content | Skip to Navigation

Learn about Word of Mouth in our Great Email Newsletters!
WOMMA Action Items
Stay in the loop with deals and opportunities
Womnibus Weekly
The latest, greatest WOM strategies and successes
Send info on joining WOMMA

Your Email:


Your email is private

See Something Here Worth Talking About? Spread the Word — It's What We Do!

Privacy Notice

The information sent in this email will remain private, though WOMMA reserves the right to moderate all messages. WOMMA never releases, shares, or sells email addresses. Data collected are not shared with other organizations, are kept private at all times, and are never released to outside parties.

 

Mattias Durnik

Hello WOMMA!

First of all, I would like to express how important I belive the WOMMA Code is for marketers all over the world. In Sweden, where I live and work, I'm noticing how marketers are misusing the term "Word of Mouth". The result can be deceptive and dishonest campaigns. However, I have to defend my fellow Swedish marketers by saying that their action is often based on ignorance. I'm sure the same goes for marketers in Germany, China, Australia, the US, etc.

The WOMMA Code is vital in spreading information on a global basis on how to conduct proper Word-of-Mouth marketing.

Therefore I have the following comments about the WOMMA Code draft:

Overall I find the code very well-written and informative in terms of understanding how to pursue Word-of-Marketing campaigns. What I think is lacking is the global prespective when it comes to referring to legislative acts/authorities. Firstly, by referring to US terms (FTC and COPPA) you risk to not get the message through to non-US marketers who might not know what you are referring to. Secondly, by adopting a more global "approach" and instead using FTC and COPPA as examples, I think, you will lower the risk of having non-US marketers see this document as code for US marketers, not a universal Word-of-Mouth marketing code.

If you prefer to keep it as it is I would at least suggest that you include brief explanations of the acronyms and what they stand for.

A final comment is about part 4 (Minors). Maybe it would be an idea to not set a fixed age (13). I would assume (i'm just guessing here) that in some countries 13 will be seen as a very low age and that it will be seen as unethical to include 14-15-year-old (or even older) children in a Word-of-Mouth campaign.

Apart from the comments, I want to express my gratitude towards WOMMA and the Code that has been proposed. It will assist many marketers to create effective marketing campaigns.

Best regards,
Mattias Durnik

March 10, 2005

← Dr. Frank Mitchell |All Comments | Dave Evans, Strategy Director, GSD&M →