A Whole New Level of Supporter Engagement

by Nathaniel Whittemore · 2009-09-23 14:03:00 UTC
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We all know (or at least have heard) how the internet is breaking down barriers between nonprofits and supporters, celebrities and fans, and companies and clients. On the upside, companies can get feedback, collect ideas, and distribute messages like never before. On the downside, the internet also makes companies liable to very public shaming.

Sometimes critique is done particularly well, as is the case with the website buzzing around Twitter today, "You're Killing Me Zappos." The site is basically an open letter to Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh exalting his company but asking him, quite earnestly, to update the design on their website. The tongue in cheek letter begins:

I’d like to start by saying that I think Zappos is an exceptionally cool company - everything I say from this point on is exclusively in the interest of helping. I understand why you guys are successful. I’ve been floored by stories of your generosity towards your customers, and your company culture sounds wonderful. So, when I heard about the Amazon acquisition, I grinned wide. Then, the other day, I checked out your new website and wanted to stab my eyes out with a sharp object.

The letter goes on to make some very specific suggestions (which, by the way, it would be useful for just about all web designers to check out) about how to improve the site: clear iconography, visual hierarchy, and more. And then, the icing on the cake is that author Andrew Wilkinson and his team at Metalab Design actually went on to mockup a new design that embraced the suggestions.

First the current Zappos design (click image to see full):

And Metalab's mock up (click image to see full):

There are a lot of things I love about this. First of all, it's a fun letter and a fun site. Second, it's an awesome example of how exposed (for good and bad) companies are on the internet. Not that people are going to change their minds about whether or not to buy from Zappos because of this, but talk about losing control of the message. Finally, it is - whether intended or not - an incredible advertisement for Wilkinson and his team at Metalab. I just spent 30 minutes clicking through their client history and thinking about whether they would fit with any projects we have going on at Assetmap. Who knows - maybe they even land a contract with Zappos because of this?

Nathaniel Whittemore is the founder of Assetmap. Previously he was the founding director of the Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement.
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