Asda turns to Mumsnet social network to enhance reputation

The influential parenting site, Mumsnet, is playing an increasingly active part in social debate, with George at Asda becoming the first retailer to seek approval from the site’s members before putting a potentially controversial product on its shelves.

Whatever we think of this as a PR move – and it’s an interesting one – it serves to underline the impact that key social networking sites can have on brand reputation. Mumsnet receives more than 1m unique visitors each month. Its discussion boards attract about 20,000 comments daily. Even the upcoming General Election has been dubbed the ‘Mumsnet Election.’

George at Asda, Boden, House of Fraser, Mothercare and Start-rite have all signed up to the site’s ‘Let girls be girls’ campaign, after members expressed concerns about products on sale in high-street stores. It aims to get retailers to agree to end the ‘premature sexualisation of children though their products and marketing.’

Writing in his Editor’s comment this week, Gareth Jones of Marketing magazine is sceptical as to whether Asda’s decision represents an intelligent PR coup. “Mumsnet is a hugely powerful force that brands should seek to harness but, in this case, it seems George at Asda may be going a step too far,” he says.

However, putting aside the issue of whether or not it should be up to an independent government body as opposed to a commercial organisation to make such decisions – which seems to be his primary concern – what is for sure is that Asda’s move represents a bold acknowledgement of the importance of online reputation management in today’s digital world.