I’ve come across a co-operation example on introniche.com (original post on ryanspoon.com) that demonstrates perfectly how a joint promotional measure should not be set up. 

Here’s the story: Ryan Spoon ordered Myoplex Light (a diet product) on Amazon. When he opened his Amazon parcel he found not only the ordered diet product, but also a McDonald’s coupon for a free McDonalds Southern Chicken sandwich and a free Southern Chicken Breakfast biscuit.

 

Couponing can be a very effective marketing instrument. But only if you do it right. And this case it wasn’t done right. This target group - individuals on a diet - couldn’t be more inappropriate for McDonald’s coupons. It’s a cruel temptation. A gym day-pass would have been much better. So either the segmentation did not work or Amazon didn’t segment at all (which is even worse) and put the vouchers in all parcels. In either way, I’m sure this couponing did not reach the aimed objective and might have even had a negative impact.