“Companies should never use tragedy to market their products and services, or do anything that could even be misconstrued as such,” said Matt Singley, chief engagement officer at Singley + Mackie Inc., an L.A.-based agency that consults with clients such as Samsung and Electronic Arts on their social media strategies. “From unrest in the Middle East, to the tragic tsunami in Japan, to 9/11 and the significance of that date for so many people, brands need to learn to back off and step in to the background.”
Many companies turn to social media to promote their products, yet many do not realize they are not adding value by reporting this information on social media. According to the Globe and Mail, on the 12th anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, some companies referencing the event in marketing messages discovered that many consumers aren’t ready for such a strategy.
Making light of such tragedies do more damage than gain to the company’s image. Social media is the quickest outlet to get product information out, yet there is the possibility of consumers misinterpreting the intent of the message. For example, the intent of the AT&T”s message of “never forget” accompanied with a photo of a hand against the New York skyline was to pay respects to those affected by the 9/11 tragedy. Yet, twitter users viewed it as a comical satire of the situation; AT&T faced many criticisms as a result.
In the day and age where social media has become a daily routine of many lives, such events as 9/11 cannot be made light of as negative reactions could contribute to a decrease in profit. “Thanks to the proliferation of social media, potentially offensive marketing efforts reach increasingly wider audiences.” Not all publicity is good for company, and insensitive tweets are the proof of that. Companies need to be reminded that using world events as a financial opportunity will not enhance their reputation but create backlash.
Work Cited
“Ethics behind Social Media in Business.”Pamplin. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013. <www.acis.pamplin.vt.edu/faculty/tegarden
eluta.ca. “Marketing tragedy: When ads become apologies – The Globe and Mail.”Home – The Globe and Mail. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2013. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/marketing/marketing-tragedy-when-ads-become-apologies/article14267057/>.
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