I’ve always liked the PR guideline “If you wouldn’t be happy seeing [the action you’re about to take] on the front page of the New York Times, don’t do it!” – it’s a very straightforward approach to summarizing the ethics and wisdom of a decision.

It seems to me that a few companies could benefit from applying that same wisdom to customer marketing – eg, “If you aren’t happy talking to a few customers / doing a trial of this idea before launching it, maybe it’s bad marketing!”

I say this having recently been involved in such a bad marketing campaign. A company (company A) marketing a co-branded product chose to change the packaging (the co-branding) without notifying the other partner (company . While one could argue the merits of the new packaging, and the need for rapid decision-making, the situation was still very unfortunate – as it left Company B with the sense that Company A was trying to hide something. The entire relationship was jeopardized – foolishly, as Company A had more to lose (Company B had the rights and the cash to cancel the co-branded product without a second thought…)

A single phone call by Company A during the package redesign process could have prevented that entire situation – and lest you think this example is limited to partnerships, consider such marketing fiascos as “New Coke”, where the management team outdid themselves with their own cleverness, spending $4mm doing blind taste tests instead of asking consumers the real question, “Would you buy this brand?” (the new product isn’t taste in isolation…!)

So please, please, avoid arrogance – take the time to treat your customers as equals, and just ask them.

[ps: Please buy my book. http://buynow.stupidmarketing.com -- and tell your friends!]