A concept may seem fantastic in the conference room, but once it’s put into action, it may not be as successful. Occasionally, what initially seemed like a brilliant idea can turn into a multitude of problems. Let’s have a look at Seven Examples When Advertisement Gone wrong.
Whether it’s the execution or the public reception, the outcome can become a complex issue that has the potential to harm your brand.
Here are some examples of brilliant idea with bad outcome …
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1. Kendall Jenner Pepsi Commercial
In 2017, there was a 2.40 minute commercial where Kendall Jenner joined a protest, offering a Pepsi to a police officer for peace. Pepsi wanted to promote unity, peace, and understanding, but it went wrong. The ad faced backlash for being insensitive and trivializing serious issues like Black Lives Matter.
Pepsi removed the ad from the air and YouTube within 24 hours with the apology saying the company “missed the mark.”
2. Burger King’s Women’s Day Tweet
On International Women’s Day in 2021, Burger King’s UK sparked a controversy with a Twitter thread. The initial tweet, “Women belong in the kitchen,” intended to grab attention, followed by two progressive tweets about women in culinary arts.
Despite the subsequent positive messages, many users focused on the first tweet, viewing it as sexist. Even those who read all three tweets found the attempt to honor Women’s Day tone-deaf. Burger King later deleted the thread, apologizing and explaining their intention.
3. AAirpass by American Airlines
In the early 1980s, facing financial difficulties, American Airlines sought a rapid capital boost. Instead of opting for bank loans, the company introduced the “AAirpass,” offering unlimited lifetime first-class air travel for a flat fee of $250,000.
Unlike modern offers with restrictions, the AAirpass was genuinely boundless. However, this approach led to substantial annual losses for American Airlines as AAirpass holders took advantage of the unlimited flights. The airline attempted to investigate revoking frequent flyers’ memberships, causing backlash and legal challenges. In summary, American Airlines’ attempt to generate quick revenue through the AAirpass resulted in financial setbacks and disgruntled customers.
4. Dove’s ‘Racist’ Campaign
In 2017, Dove shared a brief Facebook video featuring three women of different ethnicities removing t-shirts to reveal the next woman, aiming to celebrate diversity and promote its body wash for all women. Unfortunately, the video was interpreted as suggesting a black woman transforming into a white woman, implying cleanliness differences. This perception led to accusations of inappropriateness and racism, prompting a consumer boycott of Dove products. Responding swiftly, Dove removed the post and issued an apology on Twitter, acknowledging that they had failed to thoughtfully represent women of color.
5. When New Flavor of Coca-Cola Rejected by People
During the intense Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola rivalry in the 1980s, Coca-Cola, seeking to regain market share, introduced “New Coke” on April 23, 1985. This new variant featured the smooth, sweeter taste of Diet Coke but was sweetened with corn syrup. Despite positive pre-market testing where 53% preferred it, consumers strongly disliked the New Coke upon its official release. Coca-Cola faced a flood of phone calls expressing dissatisfaction. In response to the backlash, Coca-Cola swiftly reintroduced the original formula as “Coca-Cola Classic” to store shelves.
6. Walkers: Selfie Competition
Walkers, a snack company based in the UK, launched a social media campaign encouraging customers to submit selfies for a chance to win tickets to a major sporting event.
Regrettably, the company faced a PR nightmare when individuals submitted images of dictators, serial killers, and criminals, highlighting their failure to audit the pictures before publishing.
7. Nivea: Purity Post
In Nivea’s Middle East division, the company posted an ad for their “Invisible for Black and White” deodorant. The image depicted the back of a woman’s head with long, dark hair covering her white outfit. The tagline read, “White Is Purity.” Obviously, this was interpreted as racially insensitive. In fact, white supremacist groups jumped at the opportunity to applaud Nivea for their messaging.
This is a bad sign. Let’s leave black and white out of our social posts, okay?