Controversial Marketing


Controversy always attracts attention. People are easily attracted to anything where there is a divide and they tend to take a stand. Even companies can sometimes take this path. They can choose a latest controversial topic and then advertise by trying to support one side, which definitely catches the consumer’s eyeballs.

Controversial marketing involves high risks. If it successful it gives an enormous advantage to the company in terms of sales and brand value but if it goes wrong, then even the sales and brand value go down the slope. Hence companies threading this path should maintain a fine line. One wrong mistake and it will cause serious damage to the company and it might take years to undo it.


Few famous examples of controversial marketing campaigns

Nike

In 2018, Nike selected Colin Kaepernick, American Football player and civil rights activist as the brand ambassador for its new international marketing campaign. Kaepernick, from 2016 has been fighting for rights of African – Americans in USA. He has come into a huge limelight when he did not stand during the national anthem and instead he bent his knee as to bring attention to the problems and harassment suffered by the blacks in USA.

The Nike Ad featured a close up shot of Kaepernick with the caption “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything”. The idea of this promotion came after Kaepernick was not offered any contract in 2017 after he became a free agent.



This ad had mixed response initially which later turned into people threatening to boycott the brand and it led to share price of Nike to fall by almost 2%. There were also few people including celebrities like Serena Williams and LeBron James who supported this campaign. This ad became a talking point as the debate about the treatment of blacks in the country and important people like John Brennan, CIA director (2013 – 2017) supported the athlete and the campaign. But all those opposing to this campaign started destroying Nike products and protested on social media with the hash tag - #JustBurnIt and #BoycottNike. But slowly the campaign turned positive and people started embracing it and coming in support of it. So in the end it did well to the company.

Gillette

Gillette wanted to promote gender equality and they started a promotional campaign with the tagline - "We Believe The Best A Man Can Be" similar to their original tagline – “The best a man can get”. They created an Ad through which they want men to stand up against bullying. But it kind of backfired as people did not take a corporate that yearns for profit teaching them how to behave. They felt that all the men were made target and were shown in bad light. It resulted in negative comments.



Discussions about these kinds of social issues - like toxic masculinity leads to lot of debate in the public and people will be divided. There were people who were totally against this type of preaching by the company while others felt that the company told what is happening practically and it is right.

Budweiser 

Immigration is a biggest discussing point in the US. People tend to associate US as a land of immigrants but the local Native American population opposes this idea. Budweiser which has believed to be strongly American and native was founded by Adolphus Busch who is a German by birth. Budweiser took up this idea and created a marketing campaign which promoted the idea that something so truly American – like Budweiser can have immigrant origins.


A snip from the Advertisement

 

Through this campaign the company was able to reach out to the many immigrants in the country and the video clocked more than 21.5 million views. It was able to connect with the people with the emotional story of its founder and celebrating the principles of the country. It definitely hurt the loyal native American population especially those with strong political beliefs but it made the company reach out to the many immigrants and also spread a meaningful social message.

Pros - 

·       There is a lot of attention drawn. Controversy is something always that attracts people. It makes them re look and revisit. It leads to discussions and debates hence helping the brand and the product to come up in day to day discussions. It stays longer than normal ads.

·       It costs less. The word of mouth publicity due to a controversial ad or a slogan spreads faster among people thus helping the company to reach to wider audience with less cost.

·       When the company takes a stand toward a particular side through their marketing campaign, it creates a bonding with all those customers who believe in that. Thus it creates a loyal set of customers for the company and the product.

Cons -

·       Controversy divides people. They get split on their opinion and if the marketing campaign is against a person’s ideology and belief, it creates a negative opinion on the company in that person’s mind.

·       If the marketing ad tends to offend the person, it usually leads to that person never ever buying any product of the company in future.

·       Controversy campaign if goes wrong will make the company the need to put extra efforts to rectify the damage done. Sometimes the damage caused can be permanent.

 

With the advent of internet, controversial marketing has become large scale because of the various unique platforms available for the companies to conduct their marketing campaigns. Social media is the best tool for this type of marketing where information and news spreads rapidly. Companies through controversial marketing go beyond just selling their products and services by touching upon the virtues of ethics, morality and judgment






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