Talking Point: Loose lips sink ships
Just because you have an opinion doesn't mean you have to share it, says Andy Sellers, managing director of S&®.
Some marketers' misuse of social networking is getting them into very hot water.
Just this year, Fashion designer company Kenneth Cole's PR department posted a commercial tweet which made poor taste reference to the 2011 Egyptian protests, during which nearly 1,000 people died. The tweet read: "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumour is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo -KC."
Even worse, by signing off 'KC' the tweet appeared to have been written by Kenneth Cole, the designer himself, not by some lackey in their in-house PR department. The subsequent KC tweet apologised for their unintended lack of sensitivity. And I imagine the lackey got fired.
PR agency Redner Group lost its largest client, 2K Games, by tweeting in response to some unfavourable media reviews for the launch of a new 2K video game that it was "reviewing who gets games (to sample) next time and who doesn't, based on today's venom". The story spread rapidly among the media and caused a furore. 2K promptly issued a statement disassociating themselves from Redner's tweet and fired the agency.
An employee of the new media Strategies agency thought they he was logged on to his own private Twitter account and not client Chrysler's account when he dropped an 'F-bomb' tweet referencing a Chrysler ad, which read: "I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no-one here knows how to f#!✳#☆# drive." (the expletive substitute characters are mine). The employee was fired and NMS lost the Chrysler account.
As we've seen here, wayward posts in the social networking arena of Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr et al, can spread like wildfire with sometimes disastrous consequences for both the brand owner, and their respective agency.
Using an IPA-recognised agency (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising – the industry’s professional body) will minimise any risks to your brand. To be members of the IPA, agencies have to adhere to stringent industry standards, including demonstrating high levels of professional competence, and importantly in this instance, they have access to the latest legal and regulatory advice.
In these days of ‘survival of the fittest’, it's important to ‘move with the times’ and embrace new technology to develop your brand and sustain your promotional activity. But, as we continue to witness well-known and loved brands disappearing daily, I’d advise any business to keep a very close eye on all their marketing communications.
Andy Sellars is the managing director of Midlands 'brandvertising' agency S&®
