Epic Twitter fails by big brands serve as a cautionary tale for businesses venturing into the world of social media. Even well-known corporations can make missteps that lead to substantial harm to their public persona and branding in this digital age. As you read on, you’ll discover some of the most notorious blunders made by major brands on Twitter.
From Snickers getting caught paying celebrities for tweets to McDonald’s #McDStories fiasco, these epic Twitter fails highlight the importance of careful planning and execution in your social media efforts. You’ll also learn about DiGiorno Pizza’s insensitive hashtag usage, Kenneth Cole’s inappropriate tweet during a political crisis, and American Apparel’s insensitivity during Hurricane Sandy.
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Epic Twitter Fails by Big Brands
In the world of social media, a single tweet can make or break a brand’s reputation. Unfortunately, some big brands have experienced epic Twitter fails that have left them red-faced and scrambling to do damage control. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable social media campaigns gone wrong.
1. Snickers Gets Caught Paying for Celebrity Tweets
Snickers’ parent company, Mars Inc., decided to launch a Twitter campaign in 2012 by partnering with popular British celebrities like Katie Price and Rio Ferdinand. The idea was simple: get these famous personalities to post tweets endorsing Snickers bars while using the hashtag #spon (short for sponsored) as an indication that it was paid content.
The Paid Celebrity Endorsement Campaign
Unfortunately for Snickers, this strategy didn’t sit well with many users who felt deceived by the undisclosed advertisements. The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigated whether the tweets violated advertising regulations in response to a flood of grievances.
The Backlash and ASA Investigation
Some users argued that the hashtag #spon was not clear enough that these were paid endorsements. Some of the celebrity tweets seemed out-of-characterized or unrelated to their public personas, making followers question their authenticity even before realizing they were ads. According to ASA guidelines at that time, any advertisement should be clearly identifiable as such – something critics claimed Snickers failed to achieve.
Why It Was Deemed Unethical
Outcome and Lessons Learned
In the end, ASA ruled in favor of Snickers, stating that the tweets were not misleading or irresponsible. This incident serves as a warning for businesses to be mindful of the risks associated with using celebrity endorsements on social media platforms like Twitter.
To avoid similar epic fails, businesses should:
Snickers’ attempt to boost their brand’s visibility by paying celebrities for tweets backfired, leaving them with a tarnished reputation. Moving on, McDonald’s #McDStories campaign was an even bigger fiasco that left the fast-food giant embarrassed and apologizing profusely.
2. McDonald’s #McDStories Fiasco
In an attempt to promote their brand and engage with customers, McDonald’s launched a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #McDStories. The idea was for people to share positive experiences they had at the fast-food chain. However, things quickly went awry as users began sharing negative stories instead.
A Hashtag Gone Wrong
The campaign started innocently enough, with tweets from McDonald’s official account sharing heartwarming anecdotes about farmers and suppliers. But within hours of launching the hashtag, it became clear that many users were taking advantage of it to air their grievances about the company. Stories ranged from complaints about food quality and customer service to more serious allegations involving food poisoning and mistreatment of employees.
Damage Control Efforts
As soon as they realized what was happening, McDonald’s tried to do damage control by deleting their initial promotional tweets featuring the hashtag. Unfortunately for them, this only served to draw more attention to the situation – especially since screenshots of those deleted tweets still circulated online.
Taking Responsibility & Learning From Mistakes
Rather than deflecting blame or ignoring criticism altogether (as some brands have done in similar situations), McDonald’s took responsibility for the failed campaign. They acknowledged that they had underestimated the potential for negative backlash and vowed to learn from their mistakes.
Lessons Learned
The #McDStories incident serves as a warning for companies looking to communicate with their consumers via social media, especially when utilizing hashtags. Here are some key takeaways:
McDonald’s #McDStories Fiasco was a prime example of how quickly an ill-conceived social media campaign can backfire. Moving on, DiGiorno Pizza’s #WhyIStayed mistake is another cautionary tale about the importance of understanding context before jumping into a hashtag conversation.
3. DiGiorno Pizza’s #WhyIStayed Mistake
Staying abreast of current trends and hashtags is essential for effective social media marketing, as DiGiorno Pizza discovered when they inadvertently used a hashtag related to domestic violence without understanding its meaning. Unfortunately for DiGiorno Pizza, they learned this lesson the hard way when they used a hashtag related to domestic violence without realizing its context.
The Context Behind #WhyIStayed
The hashtag #WhyIStayed was created in response to a video that surfaced in 2014 showing NFL player Ray Rice assaulting his then-fiancee Janay Palmer. The hashtag #WhyIStayed became a place for survivors of domestic violence to express their stories and explain why they continued in abusive relationships. It quickly gained traction on Twitter as people from all walks of life opened up about their experiences.
DiGiorno’s Misuse of the Hashtag
In an attempt to join the conversation, DiGiorno Pizza tweeted: “You had pizza #WhyIStayed“. This single tweet sparked an immediate backlash as users accused them of making light of such a serious issue. Many were appalled by how tone-deaf and insensitive the tweet was, considering thousands were sharing deeply personal stories using that same hashtag.
Damage Control and Lessons Learned
Realizing their mistake, DiGiorno deleted the offending tweet within minutes, but not before screenshots circulated online. They issued multiple apologies via Twitter, acknowledging their error.
Despite their swift response, the damage had been done, and DiGiorno’s reputation took a hit. The incident serves as a cautionary tale for brands to always research trending hashtags and topics before jumping on board.
Tips for Avoiding Similar Mistakes
With the speed of digital communication, one misstep on social media can quickly damage a brand’s reputation. By staying informed, monitoring reactions, and educating team members, companies can avoid making similar mistakes like DiGiorno Pizza’s #WhyIStayed blunder in the future.
Kenneth Cole is another big brand that made an inappropriate tweet, which we will explore next.
4. Kenneth Cole’s Inappropriate Tweet
In 2011, the world was closely watching the Egyptian Revolution, a series of protests and demonstrations that ultimately led to the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. During this tumultuous time, fashion brand Kenneth Cole decided to post an insensitive tweet that made light of the situation.
A Tasteless Attempt at Humor
The now-infamous tweet read: “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online.” This single tweet sparked outrage from people around the globe, who found it distasteful and offensive for a company to use such a serious event as a marketing opportunity.
Immediate Backlash and Apology
Twitter users were quick to call out Kenneth Cole for their insensitivity, with many vowing never to purchase from them again. The backlash was so intense that within hours, Kenneth Cole himself issued an apology on Twitter, stating: “Re Egypt tweet: we weren’t intending to make light of a serious situation. We understand the sensitivity of this historic moment -KC.”
Lessons Learned from This Epic Fail
Nowadays, a single tweet can have major repercussions for businesses and brands. The Kenneth Cole incident serves as an important reminder that companies must always consider the potential impact of their social media posts on their audience and reputation.
5. American Apparel’s Hurricane Sandy Blunder
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s devastating impact on the East Coast, many businesses responded with compassion, while American Apparel took a crassly commercial approach. However, American Apparel decided to capitalize on this tragedy with an ill-conceived marketing campaign that backfired spectacularly.
A Disaster Sale for a Natural Disaster
The clothing retailer sent out an email blast promoting a “Hurricane Sandy Sale,” which offered customers in affected states a 20% discount if they used the code “SANDYSALE” at checkout. The promotion was accompanied by text stating: “In case you’re bored during the storm,” implying that shopping could be a fun way to pass the time while people were dealing with power outages and flooding.
Immediate Backlash from Social Media Users
This insensitive move quickly caught fire on social media platforms like Twitter, where users expressed their outrage over such blatant exploitation of human suffering for profit. Many called it tasteless and offensive; some even vowed never to shop at American Apparel again due to their lack of empathy towards victims.
A Forced Apology and Lessons Learned
As the backlash grew, American Apparel was forced to issue an apology. The company’s CEO, Dov Charney, defended the promotion in an interview with Business Insider, stating that it was meant to keep their employees busy during the storm and not intended as exploitation. Despite the CEO’s explanation, people were still outraged.
This incident serves as a reminder to businesses of the importance of being mindful when responding to tragedies or disasters, for ill-advised communication can have long-term repercussions on brand reputation. A single tweet or email can have lasting consequences on brand’s reputation if not handled appropriately. To avoid similar mistakes:
Companies must exercise caution when crafting promotional messages, particularly during times of distress – for a misstep can have far-reaching consequences that may be impossible to undo. Companies must remain vigilant about their messaging at all times – especially during difficult situations – because one poorly timed campaign could lead to long-lasting damage that no amount of apologies will ever fully repair.
6. Gap’s Logo Redesign Debacle
In 2010, popular clothing brand Gap decided to update its iconic logo in an attempt to modernize its image. Unfortunately, the new design was met with an overwhelming amount of negative feedback from customers and fans alike. This single tweet announcing the change sparked a social media firestorm that ultimately led to Gap reverting back to its original logo.
A Bold Move Gone Wrong
The redesigned logo featured a small blue square placed above the letter “P” while maintaining the same font as before. The company believed this minimalist approach would resonate with consumers and help revitalize their brand identity. Yet, shortly after displaying it on Twitter, the redesign was met with disapproval by many users who found it unoriginal and dull.
Mashable reported that many people felt it looked like something created using Microsoft Word clipart rather than a professionally designed emblem for a major fashion retailer. In response to this backlash, Gap attempted damage control by asking fans for input on potential alternative designs through crowdsourcing efforts.
The Power of Social Media Feedback
Lessons Learned from Gap’s Logo Fiasco
This epic Twitter fail serves as a valuable lesson for big brands and small businesses alike. When considering any significant changes to your brand identity or marketing strategy, it is essential to:
Gap’s logo redesign debacle was a cautionary tale for brands to be aware of the potential consequences when making changes without properly considering customer feedback. Chrysler, however, took it one step further and made an even bigger mistake with their accidental swear-word tweet.
7. Chrysler’s Accidental Swear Word Tweet
Social media can quickly create a crisis for companies if they are not careful, as evidenced by Chrysler’s 2011 tweet containing an expletive. One such incident occurred in 2011 when Chrysler accidentally tweeted an expletive while trying to promote their vehicles. The fallout from this mistake serves as a cautionary tale for businesses and marketers alike.
The Infamous Tweet
On March 9, 2011, someone managing Chrysler’s official X, previously known as Twitter account mistakenly posted the following message: “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to f****** drive.” The tweet was quickly deleted, but not before screenshots were taken and shared across various platforms.
The Fallout
This single tweet led to immediate backlash from both customers and industry professionals who found it offensive and unprofessional coming from an established brand like Chrysler. The company issued an apology on its blog, stating that they were taking steps to ensure such incidents would not happen again in the future:
“Our apologies – our account was compromised earlier today. We are taking steps to resolve it as quickly as possible.”
In addition, Chrysler terminated its contract with New Media Strategies (NMS), the agency responsible for managing its social media accounts at that time.
Taking Responsibility & Learning From Mistakes
In this digital era, companies must be especially mindful of their online presence. A single tweet can cause long-term reputational harm, as demonstrated by the Chrysler case, making it essential for businesses to be vigilant about their online presence. By learning from Chrysler’s experience, companies can avoid making similar mistakes on social media platforms while maintaining their credibility among customers and industry professionals alike.
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These examples highlight the importance of having a solid social media strategy in place and being mindful of what you post online. If you want to learn more about effective social media strategies or stay up-to-date on the latest digital marketing trends, check out WallBlog.