While it may have grabbed the consumer’s attention, the ad recently released by Reebok has been pulled out in response to the public’s outrageous reaction toward it. The slogan of the ad reads: “cheat on your girlfriend, not on your workout.” This phrase makes Reebok seem as though it is encouraging people not only to buy its products but also to literally “cheat on your girlfriend.” Undoubtedly, advertisement is an important channel through which companies can promote their brand to the targeted market. Yet in the case of Reebok and its new ad campaign, Reebok did not only let itself better known to the people but also gained a disgrace of endorsing unethical behaviour in its potential customers.

Personally, I find that this “cheat on your girlfriend” campaign was not an absolute failure for Reebok, in that the slogan, after all, has succeeded in catching the people’s attention. Yet I too find it hard to argue that Reebok should have been more careful in choosing what to say to and promote among the potential buyers of its products. Regardless of how successful an ad is in terms of making the brand better known, companies should never disregard the importance of ethics when choosing their marketing tools. That is, it is through these marketing channels that the consumer perceives a brand and develops its overall image. If a company chooses to use a marketing method that is rather controversial, it is almost impossible to avoid negative feedback and moreover a negative effect on the corporate image that is directly related to the amounts of sales and revenues. I am certain that Reebok has gained as much as it has lost through this incident and will make better choices in the future by focusing not only on its sales but also on promoting ethical behaviours on its customers.