In an average day we are exposed to approximately 3,500 marketing messages, and 99% of them make no impact on us. So how can marketers create ads that stand out? Well some big name marketing companies decided to test the shock technique. Show the public something provocative, edgy, unpredictable, something that sparks a reaction.
But sometimes an advertisement that is “cool” or “hip” can also be seen as offensive to some. For example the commercial (below) directed by Tyler the Creator for Mountain Dew sparked quite a controversy. The ad was criticized for portraying racial stereotypes and downplaying violence against women. PepsiCo the owner of Mountain Dew did eventually pull the commercial upon realizing how some people could find it offensive. Later PepsiCo and Tyler’s manager also issued apologies, stating that the ad was not meant to offend, but it “was only an absurd story not meant to be taken seriously.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28XrdxRyhf0
Even though it’s tough to market products these days, companies need to be more aware of the audience that they are presenting to. And if mistakes are made they need to take full ownership of the issue like PepsiCo and offer a sincere apology and make good promises to ensure that it does not happen again in the future. By taking these steps it not only helps them keep up their good reputation but it will also not negatively impact the sales of their product.
Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50146033n
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/nov/19/advertising.marketingandpr