Ways to avoid your brand from getting #cancelled.

These stories of success and failure demonstrate the importance of intentional marketing.

2020 has been a year of uncertainty and change. We saw the pandemic alter every aspect of life, and now we await election results that will determine the future of our nation and our global economy. I know you, like me, have every intention of finishing the year strong while preparing for a prosperous 2021. That said, intentions do not always equate to outcomes. How can you cut through the noise of politics, pandemics, and TikToks to send a meaningful message without being #cancelled #canceled? Intentional marketing is how.

Marketing campaigns need to be more diverse, cross-platform, and deliberate than ever before. Although the future is uncertain, we can learn valuable lessons from some of the alleged best and worst marketing campaigns of the past. Before deploying your next bold strategy, take notes, avoid these pitfalls, and emulate these successes. 

Lost in Translation

PepsiCo brought their seemingly innocuous “Come Alive with Pepsi” advertisement to Taiwan without realizing it would be translated into Chinese as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.” Words matter, and careful translation is key.

PepsiCo’s 2017 commercial starring Kendall Jenner’s attempt to end a riot by providing an officer a can of Pepsi is an example of why diversity, equity, and inclusion in advertising matter. After intense criticism from the public, Pepsi pulled the ad accused of trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement the day after it was released.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:   

Do not lose touch with reality. Evaluate the potential language barriers, as well as the current racial, political and social climates before executing your campaign. When you make a mistake, act promptly and apologize.

Poor Timing

Airbnb’s marketing email boasting floating house rentals that “Stay Above Water” in a “Floating World” seemed perfectly fine – until they sent them to Texans during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.  Clearly, the email was written in advance and yet executives failed to consider current events before its release.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Pay attention to the news cycle and remain current. Know how events impact your customers, employees, partners, and vendors’ communities, so you can swivel your advertising and avoid being canceled.

Near Miss Turned Home Run

The “Got Milk?” campaign’s early years of success almost proved ineffective with the Hispanic-American community. Luckily, Anita Santiago, a veteran advertising executive, warned the Milk Processor Board that “Got Milk?” directly translates to “Are You Lactating?” in Spanish. She also advised that the campaign’s jokes about milk deprivation would not be funny to Latinos.

The Milk Board utilized the tagline “Y Usted Les Dio Suficiente Leche Hoy?” (Have You Given Them Enough Milk Today?) and showed a father buying milk and other ingredients to make Tres Leches with his daughter. These advertisements accounted for language barriers and adopted the family values of most Hispanic Americans.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Translation is not effective. Do not just speak your viewer’s language; speak to their values. Multicultural marketing cannot be a “one size fits all” tactic and requires cultural guidance from diversity experts – like Team Impact.  

Record-Breaking Results

In one of the largest marketing stunts ever, Red Bull partnered with daredevil skydiver Felix Baumgartner to break the world record for the highest jump from the stratosphere. The Red Bull Stratos livestream broke the record for most-viewed live stream with 8,000,000 viewers.

Through this $60 million feat, Red Bull successfully ensured that the brand will always be tied to a historic event.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Big and bold gets your story told. Red Bull stayed true to their motto and gave one man wings in a way the world will never forget.  

Redefine the Market
If breaking world records does not fit into your campaign budget, Aerie offers an alternative method: break the market. The newcomer disrupted the lingerie industry with their “Aerie Real” campaign, featuring unretouched photos of diverse models. The campaign, launched as body positivity, gained momentum as modern, female consumers grew tired of unrealistic and unrelatable lingerie advertisements.

Between the TikToks, influencers, and retweeting #AerieReal consumer posts, the brand is on track to take over the industry with women empowerment and positivity.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Break the mold. If your industry is saturated with one kind of messaging, try a different tone that speaks to the current moment and your ideal customer.

Reward the Underdog

Carter Wilkerson, an ordinary high school student, casually asked Wendy’s how many retweets he would need to receive a year of free chicken nuggets. The brand set a high bar at 18 million retweets. Carter accepted their challenge.

Although Carter only secured a record-breaking 3.4 million retweets, with support from brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, he did get his chicken. Wendy’s decided to give Carter a year of free nuggets – a small price to pay for the enormous publicity they earned.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Intentionally engage with your audience. Wendy’s is known for entertaining young Twitter users with witty replies and jabs at the competition. With this sassy Tweet, Wendy’s earned free viral advertising worth billions.

Takeaways

These brands show us some of the many ways to launch influential marketing campaigns. However, history shows us that diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing, communications, and advertising make or break your brand. Research and attention to detail will translate your intent to outcome and keep your brand out of the canceled culture and in the hearts and minds of consumers and employees.

At Impact, we combine market analysis, expert strategies, and cultural awareness to create our award-winning campaigns. Set your goals, be wary of potential pitfalls, and consult the experts if you are unsure – team Impact is just a call or email away.

Your marketing momma,

Cheryl McCants ~ Impact President and CEO

Avoid #cancellation.

These stories of success and failure demonstrate the importance of intentional marketing.

2020 has been a year of uncertainty and change. We saw the pandemic alter every aspect of life, and now we await election results that will determine the future of our nation and our global economy. I know you, like me, have every intention of finishing the year strong while preparing for a prosperous 2021. That said, intentions do not always equate to outcomes. How can you cut through the noise of politics, pandemics, and TikToks to send a meaningful message without being #canceled $cancelled? Intentional marketing is how.

Marketing campaigns need to be more diverse, cross-platform, and deliberate than ever before. Although the future is uncertain, we can learn valuable lessons from some of the alleged best and worst marketing campaigns of the past. Before deploying your next bold strategy, take notes, avoid these pitfalls, and emulate these successes. 

Lost in Translation

PepsiCo brought their seemingly innocuous “Come Alive with Pepsi” advertisement to Taiwan without realizing it would be translated into Chinese as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead.” Words matter, and careful translation is key.

PepsiCo’s 2017 commercial starring Kendall Jenner’s attempt to end a riot by providing an officer a can of Pepsi is an example of why diversity, equity, and inclusion in advertising matter. After intense criticism from the public, Pepsi pulled the ad accused of trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement the day after it was released.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:   

Do not lose touch with reality. Evaluate the potential language barriers, as well as the current racial, political and social climates before executing your campaign. When you make a mistake, act promptly and apologize.

Poor Timing

Airbnb’s marketing email boasting floating house rentals that “Stay Above Water” in a “Floating World” seemed perfectly fine – until they sent them to Texans during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.  Clearly, the email was written in advance and yet executives failed to consider current events before its release.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Pay attention to the news cycle and remain current. Know how events impact your customers, employees, partners, and vendors’ communities, so you can swivel your advertising and avoid being canceled.

Near Miss Turned Home Run

The “Got Milk?” campaign’s early years of success almost proved ineffective with the Hispanic-American community. Luckily, Anita Santiago, a veteran advertising executive, warned the Milk Processor Board that “Got Milk?” directly translates to “Are You Lactating?” in Spanish. She also advised that the campaign’s jokes about milk deprivation would not be funny to Latinos.

The Milk Board utilized the tagline “Y Usted Les Dio Suficiente Leche Hoy?” (Have You Given Them Enough Milk Today?) and showed a father buying milk and other ingredients to make Tres Leches with his daughter. These advertisements accounted for language barriers and adopted the family values of most Hispanic Americans.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Translation is not effective. Do not just speak your viewer’s language; speak to their values. Multicultural marketing cannot be a “one size fits all” tactic and requires cultural guidance from diversity experts – like Team Impact.  

Record-Breaking Results

In one of the largest marketing stunts ever, Red Bull partnered with daredevil skydiver Felix Baumgartner to break the world record for the highest jump from the stratosphere. The Red Bull Stratos livestream broke the record for most-viewed live stream with 8,000,00 0 viewers.

Through this $60 million feat, Red Bull successfully ensured that the brand will always be tied to a historic event.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Big and bold gets your story told. Red Bull stayed true to their motto and gave one man wings in a way the world will never forget.  

Redefine the Market
If breaking world records does not fit into your campaign budget, Aerie offers an alternative method: break the market. The newcomer disrupted the lingerie industry with their “Aerie Real” campaign, featuring unretouched photos of diverse models. The campaign, launched as body positivity, gained momentum as modern, female consumers grew tired of unrealistic and unrelatable lingerie advertisements.

Between the TikToks, influencers, and retweeting #AerieReal consumer posts, the brand is on track to take over the industry with women empowerment and positivity.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Break the mold. If your industry is saturated with one kind of messaging, try a different tone that speaks to the current moment and your ideal customer.

Reward the Underdog

Carter Wilkerson, an ordinary high school student, casually asked Wendy’s how many retweets he would need to receive a year of free chicken nuggets. The brand set a high bar at 18 million retweets. Carter accepted their challenge.

Although Carter only secured a record-breaking 3.4 million retweets, with support from brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, he did get his chicken. Wendy’s decided to give Carter a year of free nuggets – a small price to pay for the enormous publicity they earned.

The Intentional Marketing Lesson:

Intentionally engage with your audience. Wendy’s is known for entertaining young Twitter users with witty replies and jabs at the competition. With this sassy Tweet, Wendy’s earned free viral advertising worth billions.

Takeaways

These brands show us some of the many ways to launch influential marketing campaigns. However, history shows us that diversity, equity, and inclusion in marketing, communications, and advertising make or break your brand. Research and attention to detail will translate your intent to outcome and keep your brand out of the canceled culture and in the hearts and minds of consumers and employees.

At Impact, we combine market analysis, expert strategies, and cultural awareness to create our award-winning campaigns. Set your goals, be wary of potential pitfalls, and consult the experts if you are unsure – team Impact is just a call or email away.

Your marketing momma,

Cheryl McCants ~ Impact President and CEO