Marketing has the potential to either elevate or destroy a brand, with numerous historical instances of campaigns that went horribly wrong often nearly leading to the downfall of the companies involved. From insensitive advertisements to failed product launches, here are 30 marketing missteps that brands struggled to overcome.
1. Victoria’s Secret’s “Perfect Body” Campaign (2014)
VS promoted an unrealistic body standard through its “Perfect Body” campaign, which led to significant public outcry. Although the company revised the terminology, it continued to grapple with its brand image for years after.
2. New Coke (1985)
Coca-Cola altered its cherished soft drink, believing consumers desired a new flavor, but the public reacted negatively. Merely 79 days later, Coke reinstated the original formula, now marketed as “Coca-Cola Classic. ”
3. McDonald’s McDStories Campaign (2012)
McDonald’s initiated the McDStories hashtag expecting heartwarming customer stories, but it backfired as people used it to share negative experiences with the brand. The initiative was swiftly abandoned, but the repercussions had already been felt.
4. Gap’s Logo Redesign (2010)
Gap adopted a new, uninspired logo design without seeking customer input, resulting in widespread public disapproval. Just six days later, the company returned to its original logo.
5. Gerber’s Baby Food in Africa (1960s)
Gerber released baby food in Africa featuring its standard label with an adorable baby image, unaware that some regions require labels to explicitly depict jar contents. Customers were appalled, believing the jars contained baby meat.
6. Ford Edsel (1957)
Ford heavily invested in the Edsel model, but the vehicle was overpriced, poorly constructed, and accompanied by a baffling marketing approach. It failed so spectacularly that the brand retired it within three years.
7. Peloton’s “Gift That Gives Back” Ad (2019)
Peloton’s holiday advertisement featuring a husband giving his wife an exercise bike was perceived as sexist and dystopian. The ensuing backlash resulted in over $1. 5 billion loss in the company’s market capitalization.
8. Ayds Diet Candy (1980s)
The Ayds weight-loss candy enjoyed popularity until the AIDS crisis arose, rendering its name quite unfortunate. The company attempted a rebranding, but sales nosedived, and the product disappeared from shelves.
9. Colgate’s Frozen Dinners (1980s)
Colgate, famous for its toothpaste, inexplicably released a line of frozen meals. Consumers found the association disturbing, resulting in the product’s failure.
10. Netflix’s Qwikster Debacle (2011)
The subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service attempted to separate its DVD rental service into a new entity called Qwikster, leading to confusion and frustration among customers. Within weeks, Netflix abandoned the concept and issued an apology.
11. Chevrolet Nova in Latin America (1970s)
Chevrolet’s Nova faced challenges in Spanish-speaking nations due to the phrase “no va,” which translates to “doesn’t go” in Spanish. While the story of its total failure is exaggerated, it still faced linguistic barriers.
12. Heinz’s Green Ketchup (2000)
The food processing company launched green ketchup, which initially intrigued children but quickly turned off consumers. The initial excitement faded, leading to the product’s discontinuation.
13. Burger King’s “Women Belong in the Kitchen” Tweet (2021)
Burger King UK tweeted “Women belong in the kitchen” on International Women’s Day, aiming to spotlight gender inequalities within the food industry. Unfortunately, this ill-conceived attempt at irony resulted in negative repercussions, compelling the brand to issue an apology.
14. Skittles’ White Packaging (2017)
In observance of Pride Month, Skittles stripped its packaging of colors to express support, yet critics highlighted that diminishing the rainbow was an inadequate way to honor LGBTQ+ pride. The company subsequently adjusted the campaign to foster greater inclusivity.
15. Coca-Cola’s “America the Beautiful” Ad (2014)
Coke broadcast a Super Bowl advertisement featuring “America the Beautiful” performed in various languages, which incited xenophobic reactions. While some lauded the message, the ensuing controversy polarized consumers.
16. KFC’s Finger-Licking Slogan in China (1980s)
KFC’s renowned slogan “Finger-lickin’ good” was misinterpreted in China as “Eat your fingers off. ” Despite this mistake, KFC recuperated and has grown into a leading fast-food brand in China.
17. Blackberry Ignoring the iPhone (2007)
BlackBerry disregarded the iPhone, labeling it as a mere gimmick, and failed to adjust accordingly, resulting in its decline. Once a dominant force in the market, it ultimately succumbed to Apple and Android competitors.
18. Dr Pepper’s “Not for Women” Ad (2011)
Dr Pepper introduced a diet soda advertisement aimed at men, stating the beverage was “not for women. ” This campaign received widespread backlash for its sexist undertones and was quickly dissolved.
19. Pepsi’s “Come Alive” (1990s)
Pepsi’s “Come Alive with Pepsi” campaign was interpreted in China as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead. ” This did not receive a favorable response.
20. Audi’s “Wedding” Ad in China (2017)
The German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles aired a commercial in China likening women to used cars, which ignited public outrage. The negative response forced the brand to retract the ad and apologize.
21. Hoover’s Free Flights Disaster (1992)
Hoover promised complimentary flights with vacuum purchases but miscalculated demand, leading to millions in losses. The mistake nearly pushed the company into bankruptcy.
22. Snapchat’s Rihanna Ad (2018)
The multimedia instant messaging app launched an ad trivializing domestic violence involving Rihanna and Chris Brown. After Rihanna publicly criticized the platform, Snapchat’s market value dropped by $800 million.
23. Starbucks’ “Race Together” Campaign (2015)
The chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves urged baristas to engage customers in conversations about race relations, though it came across as insincere and contrived. The initiative faced widespread ridicule and was swiftly abandoned.
24. Facebook’s VR Puerto Rico Tour (2017)
Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook utilized virtual reality for a “tour” of Puerto Rico post-hurricane, which seemed insensitive. The action was criticized as being out of touch, leading to an apology from Facebook.
25. Dove’s “Before & After” Ad (2017)
Dove’s advertisement depicting a Black woman transforming into a white woman was deemed racist. The company subsequently withdrew the ad and issued an apology.
26. Nike’s Kaepernick Ad Backlash (2018)
Nike’s advertisement featuring Colin Kaepernick, the civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback, triggered controversy and calls for boycotts. However, despite the initial pushback, the campaign eventually enhanced Nike’s sales.
27. Apple’s U2 Album Giveaway (2014)
Apple imposed a U2 album on millions of iTunes users without their agreement, inciting customer anger. The fallout prompted Apple to create a tool specifically for removing the album.
28. H&M’s “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” Hoodie (2018)
H&M featured a Black child modeling a hoodie emblazoned with the words “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle,” sparking allegations of racism. The backlash was fierce enough to result in vandalism at stores across several nations.
29. Tropicana’s Packaging Redesign (2009)
Tropicana altered its packaging design so dramatically that it became unrecognizable, resulting in a 20% decline in sales within just two months. The brand promptly reverted to its original design.
30. Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad (2017)
Pepsi attempted to brand itself as a beacon of unity with an advertisement showing Kendall Jenner offering a soda to a police officer during a protest, but it trivialized important social justice issues and faced significant backlash. The company retracted the ad within 24 hours, yet the damage to its public image endured.
