If you had any doubts that data analysis for improving customer experience is getting out of hand read on.
One company seems to have let the power of customer data go to its head – Thunderhead to be exact – and it is going to some bizarre lengths to get its message across to potential corporate customers.
If the sight of a meek, well-suited man suckling from a grotty muscleman’s breast is your thing, you will love the Thunderhead promotional video. But, if you are like me, you might miss the point it is trying to make – at least, I think there is a point, somewhere.
The story starts like this: “They call me The Thunderhead. I’ve leapt down from my home in the cloud to defeat my one sworn enemy – crappy customer experience. What’re you waiting for? Permission from your mother? I’m your mother now. Join me.”
Despite the fact that the inept, breast-fed car salesman featured in the video is called Tony, that the dance sequence is out of sync and Thunderhead prances around like his hemorrhoids are giving him hell you are bizarrely, if only briefly, kept enthralled.
Then, if you get past the smoke, mirrors, staff cameos and male breast action, you will find that Thunderhead promises to deliver individual customer information at the point of sale that will, if you believe the video, deliver the sale.
Wow, this alone could seriously set back the ‘big data for customer experience lobby’ at least ten years. On the other hand, you could be so stunned, shocked or mesmerised that you immediately make contact with Thunderhead just to see if the people that work there are as nutty as the video makes out or they really can read your mind as a potential customer.
See for yourself…
Having met and interacted with the guys from Thunderhead, I can’t work out if this is creative genius or corporate self-mutilation. The concept is a good one – but the execution is… well… “disruptive” to say the least. If the intention is to get this to go viral – 100% success. What it says about the brand – not so sure…
I had exactly the same response Mike. Always thought I was very broad-minded (some may say too much so) but this one had me perplexed and stunned. There may be some inner meaning that my simple brain is missing but a really masculine figurehead wanting to be a nursing mother and feeding knowledge via an over-extended nipple had me gagging. Oops, no pun intended!