It wouldn’t be December without a top 10 list! As a marketer, I thought iMedia Connection’s “Top 10 epic fails of 2011″ written by Tricia Despres was an interesting list of ads that failed in one way or another — mostly by offending a group of people. Many of the ads mentioned likely would not have gained the negative attention that they did if it wasn’t for our “always-on” world of social media. As soon as a campaign runs and someone hears or sees something they find offensive it is immediately broadcasted on Twitter or Facebook or other channels and the negative feelings just spiral.
It personally amazes me that the top advertising agencies that created some of these ads did not catch these errors before they ran. How was it that no one realized that tagline in the Coors Light ad could be translated into “to get drunk”; and didn’t anyone think that think that the Kenneth Cole ad that makes light of the uprisings in Cairo was a little distasteful?
And, then there is Netflix. As Despres points out, “they couldn’t seem to get anything right in 2011″. For such a great year, this company’s marketing in 2011 really hurt them.
If you have ads that you think should have made the list, please share them!
Happy Holidays!
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