Pepsi – you messed up.

Image via Pepsi

So I’m sure most of you heard about the backlash Pepsi received on their ad featuring Kendall Jenner.

If you haven’t, basically Pepsi released an advertisement on Youtube earlier in the week where Kendall breaks up a protest by offering a policeman a Pepsi.

This ad received a huge amount of backlash due to its controversial nature, as many interpreted the ad as trivialising the Black Lives Matter movement.

As a result, Pepsi withdrew their advertisement from Youtube and issued a public apology stating that they had “missed the mark” and the purpose was to promote unity and a global understanding.

The point that can be drawn from this example is that people interpret things differently and the point that you are trying to get across is not always what the viewer sees.

Digital Marketing Blunders

The internet is a powerful place to promote your brand, however it is even more powerful at spreading news of your f**k ups.

Marketing blunders are careless mistakes made in your advertising campaigns that result in backlash.

Blunders often occur in cross-cultural situations, whereby your lack of understanding of the local culture results in your advertisement giving off an unintended message. An example being Mazda’s mistake of introducing their LaPuta model in the Spanish market.

Similarly, like in the case of Pepsi, misinterpretations of marketing campaigns can occur when the advertisement features controversial or sensitive topics.

These mistakes often leave a lasting impression on an individual’s perception of the brand and in some cases can lead to a downfall in the brand’s success. Thus, it is clear that marketers must make sure that the material they release does not reflect on their brand negatively especially when their mistakes have the possibility of going viral.

If one thing’s for sure, businesses should steer clear of controversial or sensitive topics and make sure their intended message is clear.

But what do you think – do blunders like Pepsi’s have a lasting impact on your perception of the brand? Is there an advertisement that you saw and disagreed with?