Brands today can be made or broken by one marketing mistake. If a brand does not align with a customer's values (or appears to do so accidentally), it could have major repercussions. We're going to take you through eight of the worst marketing fails in history by brands we recognize. These include:
This way, you can walk away with practical ways to apply this to your small business or agency. Let’s dive in.
It's important to remember that these marketing failures do not imply failure for any of these brands. Without great marketing strategies, none of them would be so famous. However, the bigger the company, the more results you will get-good or bad.
Model Kendall Jenner watches and later joins a marching protest in this long commercial from 2017. She hands a can of Pepsi to a police officer as a peace offering at the front of the protest line. Everyone cheers when the police officer takes the Pepsi.
Pepsi claimed the ad was intended to promote global unity, peace, and understanding, but it did the opposite. Soon after the ad was released, it received a storm of backlash and criticism. People found the ad insensitive and tone-deaf. Further, the ad supposedly trivialized the Black Lives Matter movement and made the protest seem like a fun party.
The New York Times coverage on the matter says it best:
“Elle Hearns, the executive director of the Marsha P. Johnson Institute and formerly an organizer for Black Lives Matter, said the ad ‘plays down the sacrifices people have historically taken in utilizing protests. ‘No one is finding joy from Pepsi at a protest,” she said. “That’s just not the reality of our lives. That’s not what it looks like to take bold action.”
Bernice King, the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., was another of the activists who criticized the ad, tweeting “If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi.”
Pepsi pulled the ad from the air and YouTube within 24 hours and apologized saying the company “missed the mark.”
Never use controversial topics or social issues to promote your products or services. If you want to capitalize on a trending topic, do your research to make sure there is no risk for polarizing your audience and losing customers.
If you want to leverage popular topics for marketing success,
Famous brand Gap replaced its 20-year-old logo with a new one in 2010: a black, bold font with a blue square in the upper right corner.
It was Gap's attempt to transition from "classic, American design" to "modern, sexy, cool," but it was rejected by consumers, to the point that someone created a satirical Gap logo Twitter feed...
The below post was posted on Gap's Facebook page, with the caption “Delighted to see passionate debates unfolding!unfolding!unfolding! ” and asking followers to submit their logo design ideas.
That failed, too. After such a severe backlash, the company switched back to its old logo within six days.
People like new things, but they also like tradition, so you have to strike a balance. If you’re going to make a major change in your branding, lower the risk of a negative response by getting outside input, interviewing or polling customers, testing it out on a small segment of your audience, or making a formal introduction addressing the change. And always keep your most loyal customers at the forefront while making decisions. It is still possible to reach out to the new audience without losing the hearts of the old ones.
To keep your audience happy,
In 2021, Burger King's UK division shared a tweet that said: "Women belong in the kitchen" and was followed by another tweet that said "if they want to, of course" and one that announced their new scholarship program to help women get a degree in culinary arts and reduce the gender gap in the restaurant industry.
Despite the fact that the first tweet was intended to attract attention, and the following two were progressive, many Twitter users never got beyond the first tweet, resulting in a wave of backlash for the sexist statement. However, those who saw all three tweets still saw it as a tone-deaf attempt to honor Women's Day.
A tweet was published by the chain apologizing for the mistake and explaining the intention.
is that social media platforms work differently. Instagram, where users can see the whole picture right away, may not work over Twitter via a single tweet. In addition, what looks good on desktop may look totally different on mobile. Check everything before you hit publish, and don't use anything controversial to grab attention, as mentioned in the first example. Customers might misunderstand your words. Choose them carefully.
If you want your copy to stand out,
Audi aired a commercial in July 2017 showing a bride and groom about to take their vows, but the mother of the groom inspects the bride in front of the alter. Her nose is pinched, her ear is pulled back, and the inside of her mouth is checked.
Upon receiving her nod of approval, the couple sighs in relief, but the mother looks anxiously at the bride's chest, which she covers with her hands. A red Audi sedan drives through the city streets as a man's voice says, "An important decision must be made carefully."
Audi's campaign was intended to promote its properly inspected secondhand cars, but this was not how it was perceived. People all over the world said that it objectified women and reduced their value to that of a vehicle. Twitter users commented on the ad with comments like "how to make an ad that turns off consumers," Weibo users criticized the ad as "disgusting," and many people urged a boycott of the brand.
Audi stated that it "deeply regrets" the commercial's airing and that the commercial "does not correspond in any way to the values of our company." The commercial, which was made specifically for the Chinese market, was withdrawn.
It doesn't mean everyone understands the message behind your ad. Make sure your content is approved by a diverse group of people. At this point, it goes without saying, but refrain from using controversial or sensitive topics in your marketing campaigns. Don't risk it if you have even a shadow of a doubt.
If you want to create a bold and (positively) memorable marketing campaign,
At the beginning of the 1980s, American Airlines was going through a rough patch and looking for ways to raise capital quickly. For a flat fee of $250,000, the company introduced an AAirpass instead of securing bank financing.
The AAirpass was truly unlimited and membership was lifetime, unlike today when companies restrict these types of offers to protect themselves from financial losses. What happened next? The high number of flights taken by AAirpass holders caused American Airlines to lose millions every year. They investigated whether they could revoke the membership of frequent flyers, resulting in outrage and lawsuits.
In summary, American Airlines' strategy to make quick money backfired, resulting in financial losses and angry customers.
You should include terms and conditions if you're offering a high-value incentive to your customers to prevent exploitation and ensure that the costs of the incentive won't (or won't eventually) outweigh your business's benefits. You can't make money fast in business! You need a holistic strategy and careful planning.
If you want to stay financially sound,
The 2015 Bloomingdale's Christmas catalog included an advertisement showing a man gazing at a woman laughing with her head turned and the caption, "Spike your best friend's eggnog when they're not looking."
Due to its apparent encouragement of date rape, the ad caused outrage. Twitter users responded saying things like "Unbelievable that Bloomingdale's rape ad is real," and "Fascinated that throughout the editing process, nobody recommended this Christmas ad."
Bloomingdale's apologized on Twitter for the ad, calling it "inappropriate and in poor taste."