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Scoop.it!
2016 saw its fair share of corporate public-relations mishaps, but some were more cringeworthy than others. To be sure, the PR crises in certain cases weren't all that bad compared with the serious business missteps that precipitated a few of them, but the fact remains that there is always a better and a worse way to talk to customers and the public when something's gone wrong. These were three of the year's most egregious gaffes, and what companies can learn from them heading into 2017
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Scoop.it!
Filed under: The most WTF thing we've seen in months. Urban Outfitters, purveyor of clothing and home goods, big-ass floppy hats and occasionally offensive T-shirts, has outdone itself with this product on its website—a "vintage" Kent State University sweatshirt featuring fake blood splatters. In 1970, the Ohio National Guard fired on a group of unarmed anti-war student protesters at Kent State, killing four and wounding nine others. The sweatshirt sold out quickly, because there was only one. ("We only have one, so get it or regret it!" said the description.) Now it's listed on eBay by someone who says he/she will "give 50% of the profit to the Southern Poverty Law Center, who protect those who cannot protect themselves, often those who are victims of police brutality."...
Jeff Domansky's insight:
While not intentended, it's still a marketing fail. Someone in the marketing department needs sensitivity training or some idea of how sloppy thinking can create a mini crisis that can quickly escalate into a social media firestorm. To their credit, the company was quick to apologize and explain but it shouldn't have gone there in the first place. Another marketing lesson.
Deanna Casey's curator insight,
September 15, 2014 9:54 PM
Urban Outfitters clothing and home goods store has many loyal customers purchasing their unique items and childish style. Although their style and products are well liked among young hipsters, they have always been known for their controversial saying on products. Many people take offense to their blunt choices of prints and designs that contain controversial messages. Recently, in this article by adweek.com, they posted a vintage faded Kent State University sweatshirt with dye blood splatters, or what seemed to be. The company only had one for sale and did not refer to the 1970 anti-war student protesters killed and wounded at the University. Social media took off on this negative advertised product from a company that is constantly looking to be a topic of discussion. Teen Twitter members were furious that the company they purchased from were insensitive to the tragic event in 1970. Urban Outfitters posted an apology that the stains on the shirt were in no way supposed to represent a blood stain or had any connection to the 1970’s shooting event at Kent State University. Social consumers are gathering this negative information about Urban and seeing the hate from many on social media sites, this would lead them to purchase from a competing brand. Urban Outfitters digital identity of the way they represent themselves has been becoming more negative in the past couple years. With their countless articles of clothing with drinking and drugs messages, and their customer base under the age of 21 their reviews on social media have been nothing but negative. I feel that Urban Outfitters wants any sort of media coverage, good or bad. Having the spotlight on them encourages consumers to search the site, and possibly like some of their products. Urban has a fan base of mainly hipsters, which are identified as stepping out of the box and doing things outside the lines, the company is doing the same just in more extreme cases. 
Amanda Wall's curator insight,
September 19, 2014 6:56 PM
Recently in class we were assigned a project where we could choose a for profit on non-profit organization I chose Urban Outfitters, one of the most recent controversial clothing companies in today society.
This article describes how Urban Outfitters is defending there vintage Kent State sweater, however, most people see through the vintage look and see it as nothing more than the tragedy that occurred in 1970. The Ohio National Guard fired on a group of unarmed anti-war student protestors at Kent State, resulting in four deaths and nine wounded. As to be expected people who know the background behind Kent State automatically assume the red "vintage" stains on the sweater is blood stains, whether the stains represents blood or not this specific sweater has respectfully been pulled off the shelves.
Scoop.it!
Sometimes you come across a PR fail that is so big, it’s hard to believe.
Marketers at Mountain Dew (owned by PepsiCo) hit the bottom of the barrel when it comes to racism and disrespect to abused women everywhere with a new video spot.
The firestorm for Mountain Dew's marketing fail is just getting started.
MsHaeussinger's comment,
May 2, 2013 11:04 AM
Quite the commercial, I can't imagine who approved this!
Jeff Domansky's comment,
May 2, 2013 12:57 PM
appreciate the comments everybody. It's a marketing fail that I'm sure will be shared for some time. Not what Mountain Dew intended I'm sure and an important lesson for every marketer.
Kole Carpenter's comment,
May 9, 2013 12:01 PM
they honestly couldn't think of a single thing to do that wasn't sexist? come on it is not that hard to think of ideas to promote their product.
Scoop.it!
JWT India created a series of disturbing ads for the FordFigo, one of which shows former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi flashing a peace sign from the front seat of a car that has three curvaceous women tied up and gagged in the trunk. Ford and JWT have both issued an apology.
Ford did not approve the ads; the agency was just publishing some speculative renderings to show off its creative chops. JWT India is Ford's agency for the Figo in that country....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
Marketing and advertising seem to operate without regard or sensitivity. Ford has been cleaning up the crisis for days with no word yet on the fate of the implicated JWT India employees or the status of the ad account with JWT.
Scoop.it!
Crises in the Air Transport industry come in many shapes and forms but they usually have three things in common: 1) no prior notice or warning signs, 2) the need to inform large numbers of people in a very short time and 3) a large number of (increasingly digital) angry/distressed people.
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Scoop.it!
To the public, Jared Fogle was a geekishly charming icon of personal dedication and accomplishment. But few knew the real Jared, a man frequently driven by his sexual obsession with underage girls.
Jeff Domansky's insight:
This is a great testimony to the risks of celebrity spokespeople. A terrible nightmare for the children involved and a sponsorship crisis for Subway.
Scoop.it!
Earlier this week, I posted about the Facebook meltdown and trials and tribulations of Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro in Scottsdale. Arizona (Epic Facebook meltdown, PR fail or publicity ploy?).
This un-reality show couldn’t get much stranger. It has more twists, turns and intrigue than a Shakespearean tragedy. Or maybe the Keystone Cops would be more accurate?
The bistro was featured in a raucous season finale episode on Kitchen Nightmares featuring explosive celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay.
It was an entertaining and highly-charged reality TV episode complete with drama, screaming, yelling, heroes and villains....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
The un-reality continues with more bad PR, twists and turns and a planned news conference and the most bizarre news release ever. Stay tuned!
Jeff Domansky's comment,
May 17, 2013 2:38 PM
Thanks for the Scoop Gary. Wasn't that press release something?
Gary Pageau's comment,
May 17, 2013 2:49 PM
People forget, PR starts with product, not the spin. If you're core "product" isn't solid, no PR will save you.
Scoop.it!
After disturbing—not to mention unsanctioned—mockup ads appeared online, the PR pros in Ford’s Asia Pacific division snapped into action on a Saturday morning.
Are you having a rough Monday?
Jeff Domansky's insight:
More to come on this Mad Men story....
Scoop.it!
A note to readers: While most of the PR failures we write about are unfortunate, they are also amusing (on some level). This one, however, cannot be categorized as anything but horrifically insensitive, bordering on cruel.
Relatives of the victims of last summer’s movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado recently received invitations from Cinemark USA to attend the reopening of the same theater at which their loved ones lost their lives. The invitations, which were sent just after the holidays, urged recipients to “reserve [their] tickets” for an evening of remembrance and a movie to follow.
In response, family members sent a strongly-worded letter to Cinemark in which they expressed anger and outrage at the company’s lack of compassion, calling the invitation “disgusting”. They also noted that Cinemark representatives never reached out to offer their condolences; the company even rebuffed requests to meet with family members without lawyers present. The letter admonishes the reopening celebration as a “thinly veiled publicity ploy” and calls for a boycott of the theater....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
It's hard to imagine a more insensitive, poorly conceived and predictable PR fail than this one. It happens so often when marketing departments act first and think later.
Scoop.it!
The pizza chain became a lightning rod for criticism after it insulted an Asian-American woman, and the incident provides crisis lessons for all PR pros.
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Some PR mishaps are simply ill-advised tweets, while others are huge corporate scandals. Here's what Cheerios, Wells Fargo and Samsung taught us.