This has been a week or two of “sorry”, “my bad,” “ May we apologize for that?” in the realm of advertising and marketing.
First there were automobile manufacturers and their overseas efforts:
Hyundai’s reference to suicide and how its iX35 SUV couldn’t be useful in that effort since it runs with 100% water emissions. http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/05/lessons-learn-hyundai-failed-suicide-ad-sustainable-marketing/
Then there was the Ford Figo – the automaker’s Indian equivalent of the Ford Fiesta. Their illustrative bondage print ads (some reports identified them as outdoor billboards) that were designed to visually demonstrate the unique roominess for cargo space. http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/22/ford-of-india-in-hot-water-for-figo-celebrity-bondage-ads/
And finally, General Motors and its Chevy’s Trax compact SUV, promoted in Canada with a song and lyrics offensive to the Chinese. http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/01/news/companies/offensive-chevy-ad/index.html
Yet JC Penney had its moment in the spotlight with its latest change in management, a return to couponing and deep discounting and “It’s no secret” – a commercial that sort of says how sorry they are that consumers have abandoned them and they will listen and be better in the future. http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/jc-penney-apologizes-tv-ad/241208/
But the winner of the week goes to Mountain Dew whose Felicia the goat commercials developed by rap singer, Tyler the Creator were put on line but have gone over the line. ABC News was one of many who reported on the latest spot that made its way to the web and was pulled over a firestorm of consumer reaction. http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/mountain-dew-pulls-racist-ad-19097728
Aggressive? Offensive? Are we too politically correct? Not enough? Are marketers just looking for any way to break through the clutter and get noticed? The message pendulum has been swinging in a very wide arc and perhaps right now consumers are looking marketers who use more common sense. A little less shock and a lot more awe (inspiring).
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