Social cookie

Peppridge Farm is getting big time PR for its new campaign which is supposed to focus on the social aspects of eating cookies. The New York times says, "the centerpiece of the campaign is the Web site, artofthecookie.com" The article centers around how Pepperidge Farm is using social media, social networking and creating a brand that interacts with its users.

Also from the article:
"We started with this notion of wanting to move our communication with our consumers from telling them about us to having a dialogue with them,” said Michael Simon, vice president and general manager at the Pepperidge Farm snacks division in Norwalk, Conn.

To make possible that shift “to two-way marketing from one-way marketing...”

Maybe I'm missing something but check out their website, there is no dialogue, they are not shifting to two-way marketing. It is all tell no ask. It is simply bland tips for being social, a facts on friendship survey in the form of a PDF, and a whole bunch of pictures of women who look like they could eat cookies and be friends with each other but the whole idea of a dialogue is lost. It isn't here. There is no way for people to communicate through the website with each other or with the brand. Nothing, it is merely a website that talks about how to be social.

Peppridge Farm isn't doing anything new other or non-traditional other than having some pr schmuck, though doing a good job, pitching this campaign as social media and social networking when the only thing social about it is the concept. The campaign is about being social, thats it. So good job pr schmuck, bad job media company for going along with it.