How Getting Customer Feedback Pre-Launch Can Save Your Brand from a Marketing Crisis

In product development, one small design choice can spiral into a PR crisis. A recent example of this unfolded recently when Bath and Body Works pulled a candle from its stores after online commentators compared its design to Ku Klux Klan imagery. What began as a simple winter-themed candle quickly became a source of controversy, with the brand scrambling to remove the product and issue apologies.

This incident highlights an essential lesson for marketing teams: how crucial it is to get consumer feedback on branding and imagery before products hit the market. Had Bath and Body Works surveyed real customers before launching this product, they might have avoided this backlash altogether. Gathering feedback on pre-launch items is critical to safeguard both the brand’s reputation and customer trust.

There’s Power in the Pre-Launch

First Insight’s platform enables marketing and product development teams to gain invaluable insights directly from consumers before finalizing designs, branding, or messaging. By using AI-driven Voice-of-Customer (VoC) data, retailers can gain insight into concepts in real-time, giving them the power to adapt and refine products based on actual customer reactions. This process ensures that potential issues—like controversial or offensive imagery—are caught before a product hits shelves.

If Bath and Body Works had “insighted” these candles before launch with First Insight’s InsightSUITE, the misstep could have been identified ahead of time.

Success Story: A Major Department Store Avoids a Crisis

One major department store discovered the power of First Insight’s platform when "insighting" a new bedding design. The bedding set featured a pattern that seemed harmless to the design team, but when consumers viewed it during the pre-launch insight phase, they flagged it as offensive. Shockingly, some customers found that the pattern resembled swastikas—a discovery that the merchant and design teams had missed.

By using First Insight to gather feedback, the retailer was able to drop the product before it went to market, avoiding what could have been a major reputational crisis. 

Here’s how this customer-first product decision had a business-first effect: 

• Avoided brand reputation damage: The retailer sidestepped negative publicity, keeping its image intact. 

• Prevented unsold inventory and reverse logistics costs: By canceling the product early, they avoided costly logistics associated with manufacturing, shipping, and unsold goods. 

• Improved sustainability: Avoiding unnecessary production also reduced environmental strain by eliminating waste associated with reverse logistics and disposal. 

How First Insight Can Help Your Brand 

For marketing teams, the value of gathering consumer feedback pre-launch goes far beyond avoiding controversies. First Insight’s platform allows you to: 

• Imagery and Branding: Get real-time feedback on product images, branding, and messaging to ensure your products resonate with customers and avoid unintended offenses. 

• Enhance Customer Trust: By listening to your customers before launching, you show them that their voices matter, building stronger loyalty over time. 

• Make Data-Driven Decisions: With Gen AI and VoC data at your fingertips, you can make informed decisions that align with customer expectations, reducing the risk of failed product launches. 

In a marketplace where customer perception can make or break a brand, leveraging tools like First Insight to test branding and designs before launch is essential. As the Bath and Body Works incident—and countless others before it—illustrate, a single misstep can lead to costly damage. But by using consumer insights, brands can avoid these pitfalls, ensuring every product resonates positively with their audience. 

Protecting Your Brand’s Future

By integrating First Insight’s platform into your product development and marketing processes, you can safeguard your brand from potential missteps. Just as a major department store used this technology to avoid a costly mistake, so too can your team ensure that every product you launch is met with enthusiasm rather than controversy. 

Interested in learning more about how First Insight can help you before going to market? Chat with one of our Insight Experts today to see how our solutions can protect your brand and drive success.