Confession: I Love a Good Marketing Fail
Look, I’ve been in this game for over two decades. I’ve seen alot, done alot, and frankly, I’ve made my share of mistakes. But there’s something kinda satisfying about watching big brands trip up. It’s not schadenfreude, I swear. It’s more like… a learning opportunity. A chance to say, “Hey, even they can’t get it right all the time.”
I remember back in 2008, during the financial crisis, I was at a conference in Austin. This guy, let’s call him Marcus, stood up and said, “Marketing is all about committment to the brand.” I thought, “Yeah, sure, but what about when the brand is selling toxic mortgages?” I mean, come on.
Which brings me to my point. Marketing isn’t just about pretty logos and catchy slogans. It’s about honesty, integrity, and sometimes, knowing when to shut up.
The Pepsi Debacle of 2017
You remember that, right? The Kendall Jenner ad where she literally “solves” police brutality by handing a cop a Pepsi? I was at a bar in Brooklyn with my friend Dave when the ad dropped. We both stared at the screen, mouths open. “This is what we’re gonna talk about?” Dave said. “Not the actual issues?”
Pepsi’s CEO, Indra Nooyi, later said they “missed the mark.” Ya think? I mean, it’s not rocket science. When you’re selling soda, maybe don’t weigh in on social justice. Stick to what you know.
But here’s the thing: Pepsi wasn’t trying to be tone-deaf. They were trying to be relevant. And that’s where they went wrong. Relevance isn’t about jumping on trends. It’s about understanding your audience and staying true to your brand.
When Even the Best Get It Wrong
I’ve worked with some of the biggest names in the biz. And let me tell you, even the best of the best have their off days. I remember working with this one client, a big tech company, let’s call them TechCorp. They wanted to launch a new product, and they were convinced that a campaign centered around “disruption” was the way to go.
I told them, “Look, disruption is over. It’s been done. It’s tired.” But they didn’t listen. They spent millions on this campaign that basically amounted to, “Hey, we’re here to disrupt stuff!” Spoiler alert: it flopped.
But here’s the lesson: sometimes, you gotta trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is. And if you’re not sure, check the latest news updates today summary to see what’s actually resonating with people.
A Tangent: The Power of Saying Sorry
So, I was at this networking event last Tuesday, right? And this woman, let’s call her Sarah, comes up to me. She’s from this small marketing firm, and they’d just pulled a campaign that, frankly, was a disaster. “We messed up,” she said. “We really messed up.”
I asked her what happened. She told me they’d tried to be edgy, but it came off as offensive. “So, what are you gonna do?” I asked. She said, “We’re gonna say we’re sorry. Publicly. And we’re gonna learn from it.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. Sometimes, the best marketing move is admitting you screwed up. People respect that. They respect honesty. They respect humility.
Back to the Point: Know Your Audience
I can’t stress this enough. Know your audience. Really know them. Not just their demographics, but their values, their fears, their hopes. Because if you don’t, you’re gonna end up like that one brand that thought it was a good idea to make a joke about mental health. Or that other brand that tried to capitalize on a natural disaster.
I’m not saying you can’t be bold. You can. You should. But boldness without understanding is just recklessness. And recklessness leads to fails. Big, public, embarrassing fails.
So, do your research. Talk to your customers. Listen to their feedback. And for the love of all that’s holy, don’t be afraid to ammend your strategy if it’s not working.
I mean, it’s not rocket science. It’s marketing.
Anyway, I gotta run. My dog’s barking, and I think he’s gonna physicaly tear apart the couch if I don’t let him out. So, yeah. That’s my take on marketing fails. Learn from them. Laugh at them. But for the love of god, don’t repeat them.
About the Author
I’m Sarah, a senior magazine editor with more than 20 years of experience in the marketing niche. I’ve seen it all, done it all, and have the scars to prove it. I’m opinionated, I’m blunt, and I’m not afraid to call out bad marketing when I see it. When I’m not editing, you can find me at the dog park with my rescue mutt, Max, or trying to convince my teenage kids that, yes, I was cooler than they are.
