|
|||
| About | Contact | Media Kit | Twitter | |||
 |
|||
7 Shocking Marketing Mistakes and Fails
There's no doubt about it that marketing isn't always smooth sailing and even some of the most successful brands in the world launch campaigns that aren't received well at all. In fact, some of the following campaigns from the likes of McDonalds and Coca Cola even went as far as to cause public outrage. Here are seven of the worst marketing mistakes we've ever seen!
Understanding What Expedia-Owned Travel Sites Can Offer Travel Brands
In early December, Expedia, Inc. held their annual Partner Conference in Las Vegas where the entire travel industry (or at least those who use Expedia properties which is, like, everyone) gathered to learn the latest and greatest about travel strategies and Expedia offerings. Part of the conference focused on the offerings from the Expedia Media Solutions group which, in essence, is like a giant ad network for any brand interested in reaching travel demographics. Expedia Inc. owns Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Orbitz, Hotwire, Trivago and several others. In other words, it's basically everything except booking.com and Kayak. So, yea, if you're a brand looking to tap anything in the travel space, you'll likely be working with Expedia. Bloomingdales's Slammed With Social Media Outrage Over Date Rape Ad
Wow. I just wrote about an idiotic bank ad which made light of environmental issues and now we have a Bloomingdales' ad which many say makes light of date rape. A Christmas print ad for the retailer shows an image of a woman and a man with a very questionable headline between them. The headline reads, "Spike your best friend's eggnog when they're not looking." Idiotic Bank Ad Makes Light of Environment, Social Media Goes Bezerk!
Did you miss me? You would think after all these years we would have moved past the point were brands make egregious lapses in judgement knowing full well the wrath of social media outrage will rain down upon them like a ton of bricks. But, apparently, no. A Philippine bank, BDO Unibank has apologized for an ad it ran which made light of environmental issues. In the ad, which carries the headline "Save the environment or save up to see places," a man can be seen holding a sign that reads, "Stop deforestation" behind a woman who is enjoying her travels. The word "or" is placed between the two. The 5 Worst Mistakes "Expert" Marketers Are Making in 2014
When online "experts" share their "expertise," it is always advisable to observe with some skepticism. While the Internet can be considered the modern bastion of knowledge, opinions, and ideas, it is not completely dependable. In fact, most of what you can find on the web is unreliable information. Take the case of online marketing as an example. Many online marketing "experts" who preach their supposedly effective strategies embarrass themselves by the failure of their ideas in their own practical application. The following can be considered the worst mistakes in online marketing in 2014. They represent the biggest misconceptions in marketing being peddled by self-proclaimed marketing experts and even by those who have had some real experience in online marketing. 40 Brand Logos With Hidden Messages
Here's an infographic from UK agency Oomph that details the hidden imagery and meaning in 40 big brand logos. Many, like the arrow in the FedEx logo, you may already be aware of. Some you may not. Take a look. Victoria's Secret's 'Body' Bra Line Comes In Many Sizes But You'd Never Know It From This 'Perfect Body' Ad Campaign
Pity the poor woman who doesn't live up to Victoria Secret's definition of perfection which probably hovers somewhere around 5'8", 34C-22-34. If you don't come close to those measurements, it appears you should should shop elsewhere. A new campaign for the brand is touting a line of bras they call Body by Victoria. The ads carry the headline, "The Perfect Body," along with images of, well, women with "perfect" bodies. Certainly there's an aspect of every advertising campaign which aims to be aspirational, motivational, uplifting in a way that, ideally, cause a person to respond, "I want to be like that. I want to be better. I'll have what she's having. I want to be better. Etc." And a nice motivational kick in the ass is a good thing every once in a while. How Omni-Channel Marketing Can Help Brands Better Connect With Customers
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine received an email from HSBC Bank informing him that as a platinum cardholder, he was entitled to "fabulous wedding offers." From the banquet, gown and jewelry to photo packages and honeymoon travel, his wedding bases were covered. It might have been nice if he weren't married with two young kids - details that were stated clearly on his HSBC profile. This is one of many innocent but avoidable blunders we encounter in the digital age. As marketers try to conquer every 'touch point', many risk diluting the personal, human touch of commerce. Despite covering QR codes, email, mobile, social, web, events, webinars, etc. all at once, marketers continue to provide a unichannel experience in a multichannel world. How Affiliate Marketing Can Fund Your Advertising Budget
If you mention the term "affiliate marketing" to some brand marketers they either don't know what you're talking about or they think it's some kind of shady method of generating traffic. Nothing could be further from the truth. Affiliate marketing, simply put, is the use of third parties (affiliates) to help sell your product or promote your brand. Even better, affiliate marketing is a better way for a brand to pay for advertising. What do I mean by this? Without Admitting Its Products Were Ever Bad, Johnson's Touts Reformulated Baby Products
Without admitting the ingredients formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, present in 100 of its baby products, Johnson's Baby, which earlier this year began introducing reformulated products, is out with a delightfully fuzzy, feel good campaign touting the removal of those ingredients. 
|
|
