“We missed the mark”: 10 marketing campaign fails and how to avoid them

A killer marketing campaign can be your secret weapon to grab attention, build a loyal following, and boost those sales. But here's the catch: not all campaigns are created equal. Some can miss the mark big time, even harming your brand's reputation.

To help you avoid marketing mishaps, we've rounded up some cringeworthy campaigns that are best left forgotten. Consider them cautionary tales on your road to marketing mastery. Let's dive in and discover how to make your campaigns capture attention—in the right way!

Pepsi: Live For Now

The murder of George Floyd ignited a global movement fighting for social justice for people of colour, and an end to systemic racism. The Black Lives Matter movement was – and remains – a hot political issue, but more than that, it’s a deeply emotional issue. Pepsi looked at that anger and hurt and thought: we can fix that. 

The result was a short film advert featuring Kendall Jenner participating in a peaceful protest before approaching a police officer and handing him a can of Pepsi, at which point the crowd cheered in celebration. Pepsi claimed that the advert was created “to project a global message of unity, peace, and understanding," and in a way it did – in as much that everyone was pretty much unified in agreement that the advert was in exceptionally poor taste, and appropriating a racial movement. Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King even took to Twitter to criticise the advert: “If only Daddy would have known about the power of #Pepsi.”

The advert was quickly pulled, and Pepsi released a statement saying:

“Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue. We are removing the content and halting any further rollout.” 

The lesson

Although we have to assume the advert was made with good intentions, the whole thing felt tone deaf, and the marketing team at Pepsi would have benefitted from someone pushing back against the idea and asking, “are you sure about that?”. If they had stopped, they might have seen that putting out a provocative video while saying nothing meaningfu about the movement that you’re inspired by is a bad PR move. There is also something to be said about their choice of spokesperson. While Kendall Jenner isn’t controversial in her own right, she isn’t known for political and social advocacy, so choosing her as the figurehead for the advert was questionable from the onset.

When planning your own campaigns, always be mindful of what you’re contributing to the conversation, and if you do decide to use the opportunity to take a stand, do so sincerely.

Airbnb: Floating World

Popular homestay rental service Airbnb has had its share of controversies, usually political in nature as communities object to the pressure it puts on local housing markets as people buy houses to put on the service. However, in 2017 Airbnb attracted ire because of a particularly ill-timed email.

Promoting “floating homes, waterfall slides, & more reasons to travel”, one subheading for the email even encouraged people to “stay above water”. In isolation, it’s an innocuous email advertising special experiences, but nothing in life exists in a bubble, and this email went out while Hurricane Harvey was pummelling Texas. The category 4 hurricane saw some areas receive over 40 inches of rain, resulting in mass flooding and the displacement of over 30,000 people.

In an email statement to Quartz, Christopher Nulty, an Airbnb spokesman said: “The timing of this email marketing campaign was insensitive and we apologize for that. We continue to keep everyone affected by Harvey and all the first responders and their families in our thoughts.” 

The lesson

When you’re an international organisation, you have to be mindful of rapidly changing situations in all markets. Keep a check on your upcoming campaigns and ensure they aren’t going to be perceived as insensitive because of an event that’s unfurled since you planned it.

One thing to note about Airbnb is that philanthropy and disaster relief support is built into the organisation, and they waived all service fees for people in neighbouring towns and to help those who were displaced. 

Coca Cola: “New Coke”

After World War II, Coca-Cola held 60% of the market share for cola, but that had declined to just 24% by 1983 following fierce competition from Pepsi-Cola. Market research suggested that older consumers were increasingly buying diet varieties of cola, and in blind taste tests, younger consumers were opting for the sweeter taste of Pepsi. The decision was made to release a new version of Coke that changed the formula to make it sweeter. During its development the surveys and focus groups had a positive response, more so than the taste testers. Some tasters said it would take time to get used to it, while others expressed anger and alienation. However, the management gave more weight to the positive surveys, so pushed forward with the replacement formula.

The initial launch was considered a success, with research showing that 80% of Americans were aware of the change within days, and sales of Coke went up. However, as seen in the taste tests, there was significant backlash to the changes. Over 40,000 calls and letters were sent into Coca-Cola expressing anger or disappointment. It was ridiculed by comedians, and talk show hosts. The southern states in particular were very opposed to it, viewing Coke as part of their regional identity. The opposition to new coke was so strong that some people started stockpiling old Coca-Cola, and even ordering it from overseas.

After just 79 days of New Coke being on the market, Coca Cola executives announced the return of the original formula as Coca-Cola Classic. From the Washington Post in 1985:

"We're really sorry for any discontent we caused," Coca-Cola President Donald R. Keough told a news conference beamed in on closed-circuit television from the company's Atlanta headquarters. Coca-Cola, he said, had been given "a humility lesson."

New Coke was eventually discontinued in 2002.

The lesson

There are many lessons to take from the New Coke campaign. The company relied too heavily on data suggesting that consumers would like the new product, without properly assessing the emotional attachment that people had with the product. Similarly, their dogmatic attitude to replacing one product with another, rather than introducing the new formula as a separate product was a mistake, and seen as taking choice away from the consumer. Coca-Cola also got preoccupied with what Pepsi were doing, worrying about taste comparisons rather than focusing on what made their product so beloved.

PureGym: 12 years a slave workout

In 2020, in celebration of Black History Month, a PureGym Luton & Dunstable personal trainer devised a workout for the month of October that was designed to really test the mettle of its members. Putting aside questions about why someone would want to subject themselves through a gruelling workout routine, we can at least agree that posting the workout on Facebook with the caption “slavery was hard and so is this” is perhaps a little bit of a false equivalence. In a statement to The Independent, PureGym said: “PureGym apologises unreservedly for a post made today by our gym in Luton. This post is wholly unacceptable, was not approved or endorsed by the company and was removed as soon as it was brought to our attention.” 

The lesson

As with many of these examples, the overriding lesson is to really think about how your message will be perceived outside of your immediate circle. When it comes to protected characteristics, and politically charged issues like gender equality or slavery, you should take a step back and consider whether you're positively contributing to the public discourse.

Innocent: Conker Milk

Innocent is a brand well known for their tongue-in-cheek tone of voice and irreverent marketing campaigns, but they made a real misstep when promoting their new dairy free products. Releasing an advert for a fake conker milk, the brand promised that “your taste buds are about to be conkered.” The issue? Conkers, also known as the horse chestnut, is not only inedible, but can actually cause paralysis and even death if consumed.

Obviously the brand had assumed that people would know not to eat conkers, but following the outcry on social media, the company seized the initiative and turned a potential PR snafu into an extension of their campaign.

“We didn’t think anyone would believe Conker Milk was real. No one even believes our blue drink is blue. Just to be safe, we thought we’d mention we were using edible sweet chestnuts, not inedible horse chestnuts. That did not clear things up. We reckon the best thing we can do is hold our hands up, admit we messed up, and say DO NOT EAT CONKERS. Over and over again. In big capital letters.”

The company repeated DO NOT EAT CONKERS nine times on the social post, and further reiterated that you shouldn’t milk, stew, or fry conkers, and “Don’t swap kidney beans for conkers and make chilli conk carne.”

The lesson

Even though Innocent managed to turn a negative into a win, it’s still always a bad idea to release anything that could put public health at risk, or in turn put the company at risk of a lawsuit should anybody be silly enough to try and milk a conker.

Burger King: Women belong in the kitchen

On International Women's Day 2021, Burger King UK faced controversy over a tweet stating, "Women belong in the kitchen." This was part of a campaign to highlight gender disparity in the culinary industry and promote their scholarship programme for female chefs. The tweet was accompanied by follow-up messages providing context: "If they want to, of course. Yet only 20% of chefs are women. We're on a mission to change the gender ratio." Unfortunately, many people only saw the initial tweet, leading to immediate outrage. The provocative phrasing was criticised for perpetuating outdated stereotypes, overshadowing the campaign's positive intent. Critics argued that the message was insensitive, particularly on a day meant to celebrate women's achievements. In response to the backlash, Burger King deleted the tweet and apologised, acknowledging their communication misstep.

The lesson

The lesson from Burger King's tweet controversy is the importance of clear, context-rich communication. Relying on follow-up posts for context can lead to misinterpretation, as initial messages often stand alone. Crafting thoughtful, sensitive messaging from the outset is crucial, especially on topics like gender equality, to prevent backlash and misunderstanding.

Facebook’s VR disaster tourism

Love or loathe Facebook, they are all in on virtual reality–going as far as to rename the company Meta to symbolise their pursuit of a functional (and appealing) metaverse. However, there is a time and a place for showcasing that passion, and in 2017 they got one demo exceptionally wrong. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg faced criticism for conducting a virtual reality (VR) tour of hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. The VR demo, intended to showcase Facebook's VR capabilities, featured Zuckerberg's animated avatar exploring the devastated area alongside a colleague. While the aim was to highlight Facebook's humanitarian efforts, the execution was perceived as tone-deaf, with some critics labelling it as "disaster tourism." The cheerful avatars juxtaposed against real-life devastation seemed to trivialise the suffering of those affected. The backlash underscored the importance of sensitivity and empathy in the portrayal of humanitarian crises.

The lesson

The lesson here is the critical need for sensitivity when using technology to address real-world issues. When leveraging innovative tools like VR, it's essential to prioritise empathy and avoid perceptions of disaster tourism. Thoughtful, context-aware communication can prevent blunders and ensure that technology enhances, rather than detracts from, humanitarian efforts.

Dettol: “When ordinary soap just won’t do”

Dettol found itself at the centre of a controversy with its campaign, “When ordinary soap just won’t do.” The advert suggested using Dettol soap to clean up after a murder, which many viewers found distasteful and offensive. The attempt to use dark humour fell flat, as it appeared to trivialise a serious crime, leading to widespread criticism. Viewers were quick to express their disapproval, arguing that the ad was tone-deaf and inappropriate. This incident served as a reminder of the delicate balance required in advertising, where humour must be carefully weighed against potential offence.

The lesson

The lesson from this is clear: brands must exercise caution and sensitivity in their messaging. Understanding the audience's perspective and ensuring that content does not cross the line into insensitivity is crucial. By prioritising empathy and thoughtfulness, brands can avoid backlash and foster a positive connection with their audience, maintaining trust and respect.

Bic: Look Like a Girl

Is there a more ubiquitous office essential than the BIC biro? First made in 1950, the South African company essentially nailed the formula on the first try—the most dramatic change was in 1990, where the company introduced a hole in the cap to prevent suffocation. So it is certainly a curious choice for the company, in 2012, to release new colourways that targeted a female audience. “Look like a girl… think like a man” compounded the issue, firstly suggesting that pink and purple are exclusively the colours of girls, but secondly that women needed to think like a man to “work like a boss”. Truly a mind-boggling decision, and one that was correctly mocked by the public at large—including many satirical Amazon reviews.

Worse, the company failed to even realise the reason for the derision, and issued a particularly tone-deaf blog contextualising the comments, before eventually having to pull that down too in favour of an apology. 

The lesson

The lesson from Bic's campaign is to align marketing with modern values, avoiding stereotypes and promoting inclusivity. Brands should respond to criticism with genuine understanding, acknowledging missteps and valuing audience feedback. Prioritising empathy and awareness fosters positive relationships and ensures campaigns resonate meaningfully and respectfully with diverse audiences.

Apple: Crush!

Apple is renowned for the creativity of their adverts. From the Orwellian 1984 Super Bowl advert, 'Think Different', Mac V PC, to the fun and lively iPod ads, they have always captured the attention and imagination of audiences. Typically trendsetters, and almost always ahead of the curve, Apple’s 2024 iPad ad was a rare faux pas. The advert played on the social media trend of crushing objects under a hydraulic press, which in normal circumstances would have been fine. However, Apple chose to crush beautiful objects of creativity, such as musical instruments, arcade machines, paints and easels, and televisions. When the press lifts, an iPad Pro remains. Apple meant to suggest that all creativity can be squeezed into and explored on an iPad, but it actually appeared as though Apple were destroying tools of creativity in favour of an iPad. At a time when creatives are feeling particularly under threat from generative AI, the advert only exacerbated that sentiment. People were so outraged, Apple took the uncommon step of actually apologising.

"Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world," said Apple’s Vice President of Marketing Communications, Tor Myhren. "Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry."

The lesson

The lesson from Apple's iPad ad misstep is to truly connect with your audience by understanding their current challenges and emotions. As a brand, it's vital to align your messaging with the values and concerns of your customers, especially when touching on sensitive topics like creativity in the era of AI. By tuning into what your audience is experiencing, you can create campaigns that genuinely resonate and uplift rather than alienate. And if you do make a mistake, owning it with a heartfelt apology and a promise to learn and grow can go a long way in rebuilding trust and maintaining a strong relationship with your audience.