Some companies believe that the best form of advertising comes through word of mouth.
Not Ferrero SpA, the Italian confectioner which owns scrumptious hazelnut spread brand Nutella.
Today, Ferrero SpA sent a cease and desist to Sara Rosso, founder of World Nutella Day, a seven-year-old event and organization that celebrates the Italian delicacy.
Notwithstanding the event's Facebook page's 40,000 "likes," Ferrero SpA asked Rosso to remove the site. She stated on her website that the Italian firm asked her to disband the organization because "they consider it to be an unauthorized use of their intellectual property and trademarks, the Nutella logo and brand."
The company's idiotic move has been best described by a Rosso supporter's recent post on her Facebook page: "Nutella...more nuts in company management than in every jar."
And, as is common when multi-national corporations initiate asinine, self-defeating tactics, news of the cease and desist order has gone viral, prompting the Italian company to take a more cooperative approach toward the World Nutella Day founder.
Ferrero is currently in discussions with the Nutella advocate.
Rosso wrote on World Nutella Days website that she has no hard feelings towards Ferrero.
"Most of my interactions with various employees & consultants has been positive," she writes. "Of course I wish it hadn’t happened in the first place, but I’m pleased at the speed of resolution and that the site & holiday will continue. In my conversation with them they seemed genuine about appreciating fans of Nutella."
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