Social media marketing serves as an effective tool in communicating with target audiences. These serve as avenues to communicate and connect, and more and more brands and companies are using these programs not just to increase brand awareness, but also to enhance customer sales and engagement.
While these are primarily used for the company’s success and development in the field, social media marketing blunders do happen to the best of us. However, when these mistakes happen to major brands and corporations, these can make or break the company’s image and reputation.
In the advent of technological advancement and state-of-the-art facilities, let these five failures remind you of what you should avoid.
1. Snapchat vs. Rihanna
Domestic violence – or any violence for that matter – is no laughing joke. Following a post asking users whether they preferred slapping Rihanna or punching Chris Brown, Snapchat suffered a whopping $800 million loss.
The post referred to the 2009 domestic violence and physical abuse that the rapper inflicted on then-girlfriend.
Rihanna called out the company via Instagram stories, saying “You spent money to animate something that would intentionally bring shame to DV victims and made a joke of it!!!” The post cost a 4% loss in stocks.
2. Dolce & Gabbana Racist Remarks
Dolce & Gabbana drew flak after racist remarks from Stefano Gabbana had been leaked to the public. The designer exchanged comments with model Michelle Tranovo, who merely pointed out the brand’s marketing came across as racist. While the campaign claims to celebrate Chinese culture, it made derogatory remarks about the country and its people.
The Instagram exchange drew backlash from fans around the globe, with actors like Zhang Ziyi denouncing the brand. A dozen or so models left the show and the brand got pulled out by major retail stores such as Taobao and Net-A-Porter. The only claim Dolce & Gabbana had? They were hacked. Good try.
3. Insensitive U.S. Airforce Yanny/Laurel Joke
The U.S. Airforce joined in on the then-viral Yanny/Laurel debate circulating the internet. However, the Air Forced poked fun on the Taliban killings happening in Afghanistan. The deleted tweet claimed that Taliban Forces would rather hear the Yanny/Laurel sounds compared to the A10 drone. This tweet earned the ire of the public and the U.S. Air Force apologized for their “joke.”
4. Chick-fil-A: Destination Unknown
Chick-fil-A’s seemingly minor booboo made rounds in different websites and platforms last 2018. A fan took to Twitter to request Chick-fil-A to open in the North Pole, Alaska. The Twitter handler responded that it had no plans of expanding operations outside North America, failing to recognize that they are from the region.
5. Dove: Color Transformation
While Dove has always taught women to love themselves and be proud of what they have, the transformation campaign posted on Facebook featured a “before” and “after” of a black woman transforming into a white individual after using the advertised lotion. Users were quick to call out the photograph for being racist. The company quickly took down the post and issued an apology.
Steer Clear of Corporate Mistakes
Avoid these taboos by having the right team in place. With a social media expert, you can take a more sensitive and comprehensive approach to your marketing campaigns. This ensures your brand’s message is always on point.
THE VOEU AGENCY is a digital creative and branding agency focused on building social media management solutions that are geared towards addressing modern needs. As a marketing company, they build brands by providing expertly crafted content and growing their network through audience building, engagement, social media advertisements, social media management, and more.
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Written by Skánia Yasmina, CEO | THE VOEU AGENCY
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