In the world of advertising, not all attention is good. Negative publicity can sink businesses just like large holes can sink freighter ships. Which is why businesses tend to carefully tiptoe and test market ideas on small groups before they give the green light for their next big ad campaign. Let's explore just a few of the biggest mistakes advertisers have made when it comes to marketing techniques, some of which resulted in diminished profits while others resulted in severe downsizing and even business closure.
BP's “A Message from Tony Hayward”
BP is a household name in many countries, but not because of the products they provide. They rose to public attention after millions of gallons of oil spilled into the nearby coast and killed 11 workers. In an attempt to rectify some of their misdeeds, they contacted Purple Strategies to make this ad. While the ad itself isn't bad, the timing of when it was aired made it atrocious to the general public. The ad began airing on networks about six weeks after the oil spill disaster occurred. Tony Hayward was already in trouble with local resident after saying some statements that were anything but well-received by residents of the coast, but it was the $50 million price tag of this ad that made residents outraged and further tarnished BP's image.
Hyundai's “Pipe Job”
Hyundai and the ad agency responsible for this commercial, Innocean Worldwide, may have been too progressive in their thought. Their commercial featured a fictional man's failed suicide attempt, which was foiled by the ix35's “100% water emissions” feature. The backlash was felt when Hyundai's commercial caused an outcry from people whom had lost family members due to all-too-real situations like the one in this commercial. They apologized, pulled the ad, and dealt quietly with the loss this ad caused.
JCPenney's “Back to School Shopping”
Stepping on the toes of your target audience is the last thing any business wants to do, but somehow JCPenney continues to. While they've made a lot of mistakes in the past year, especially when it comes to business, the one they made in this ad was all too grievous. While the idea was the set JCPenney up as a trendy and fashionable store, Young & Rubicam's ad only seemed to give the message that bullying, when based off what someone wears, is okay. This caused an outcry on JCPenney's Facebook and sent their sales plummeting even further.
What Could They Have Done Right?
There are many things that these advertisers and businesses could have done right. Instead of trying to force themselves to deal with media ads, they should have stuck to something simple and reliable like printing gift, loyalty and membership plastic card city cards. Regular coupons and advertising that targets the right audience is all part of getting it right. When it comes to your own advertising campaign, make sure you stick to some tried and true conventions before pushing the envelope.