Brands Can’t (And Shouldn’t) Hide Anymore

If you read or study marketing, chances are you’ve heard the infamous Nordstrom’s tire story.  The short version goes as follows:

A man walks up to a counter at Nordstrom’s and puts two snow tires down on the counter.  He tells the clerk that he is unhappy with them and ask for a refund.  The sales clerk complies and refunds the man – even though Nordstrom doesn’t sell tires.

Whether or not this story is true is not really important.  This tale has become a marketing and PR meme and reinforces the image of Nordstrom as totally focused on client satisfaction.  Even though the story apparently occurred around 1975 and was more widely circulated in the 80′s, it is constantly being retold and recirculated today.

Now compare that to two other infamous brand stories…



People are talking about your brand online.  What kind of stories are they telling?  If you don’t have a Nordstrom tire story, create one.  Go the extra mile for your customers and encourage them to let others know about it.

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