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September 01, 2005
FedEx, customers and art
Why do some companies start poking its innovative customers in the chest like a schoolyard bully?
I'm referring, of course, to the story of FedEx and its tough-guy shove of a citizen marketer this summer. Joe Jaffe resurrected the story yesterday after talking with the FedEx Furniture guy.
The FedEx Furniture Guy is Jose Avila, a self-described FedEx fan who uses the company's shipping boxes as furniture for his apartment, mostly for its affordable economy and strength, which he documents on his website. Jaffe calls FedEx's cease-and-desist order to its customer evangelist as "stupid", "moronic", "myopic" and coming across as "nothing but a bureaucratic bunch of bastards."
That's largely been the response from the assembled bystanders watching this big guy vs. little guy fight. You can see more of it via the blogosphere.
This story resonates with people because of several dynamics:
* Who among us hasn't been an FedEx customer in the past 10 years?
* FedEx has cultivated a good-guy image, especially in the Tom Hanks movie "Castaway."
* Who would have thought that FedEx boxes could be used as furniture?
Andy Warhol iconized Campbell's Soup by making art of something stored in nearly every American pantry. Warhol turned the art world on its ear by mass producing art of a mass product. Arguably, the Fedex Furniture Guy is creating a type of functional pop art, and his blog is his gallery. Part of the role art plays in society is to show us things we haven't yet imagined. Chances are your office is to FedEx boxes what Campbell Soup is to a pantry.
Fedex is hardly in the business of creating art, so its protestations that the Furniture Guy is infringing on its copyright produces the sort of eye-rolling reserved for helicopter parents.
When companies accept that some customers are going to innovate products on their behalf, or at least pay homage to them, then it smoothes the pathway for greater levels of customer ownership. Customer ownership is the yellow brick road to citzen marketing.
To its credit, Campbell's Soup didn't sic the corporate lawyers on Andy Warhol. And just last year, Campbell's released four limited-edition soup cans featuring silk-screen colors. It was an homage to the artist.
Other blogs that reference FedEx, customers and art:
Why, why, why? Here's a guy who is loyal to the brand because he appreciates how sturdy the boxes are (and anyone who can create functional furniture from them should know) and trusts the name. What great advertising from a passionate customer. When will companies finally get it that it's this type of marketing (free, by the way) that creates boatloads of profit compared to the sinkhole of traditional advertising? Maybe FedEx Kinkos should relax a little bit themselves. Or maybe the folks at DHL or UPS could buy the guy some branded furniture...
So true.
http://thebrandbuilder.blogspot.com/2005/08/when-train-has-already-left-station.html
Apple computer didn't seem upset with other's did the same with their packaging...
See http://www.wired.com/news/mac/0,2125,49473,00.html?tw=wn_story_related
This story was featured a few years ago. Making home office furniture, beds, tables and chairs out of FedEx boxes seemed like it wouldn't work very well but I remember reading that he said they are amazingly sturdy.
I guess Fedex took exception to him making a site about it. I work for several retailers who ship products online and these boxes are provided free to customers who ship with FedEx. I can see the point of FedEx that they were not being used in the way they were intended to be used. However, I don't think they expected the PR backlash from the way they handled the situation. I wonder what ever happened to the FedEx Furniture guy?
John
