Maintaining Social Media accounts for your business is a no-brainer since Statista reports that over 4.89 billion individuals use Social media. Social media offers firms free exposure, which enables businesses to develop closer, more cost-effective ties with their clientele.

However, managing a commercial social media account is more difficult than utilizing it for personal use. You have employees who help prove your worth, debts to pay, and a reputation for your business to uphold.

One poorly intended post can cause immediate controversy, forcing you to handle a flood of awkward remarks, contain the damage, and perhaps even take items out of stock.

Although social media platforms are excellent means of communication for engaging with customers, there are instances when firms face negative publicity. Businesses that launch unsuccessful social media campaigns risk facing harsh criticism, whether it comes in the form of claims of racism, sexism, or economic bias.

Here are a few spectacular social media failures that damaged well-known businesses’ reputations and made their PR departments work overtime to clean them up.

Bioré Faces Criticism on TikTok for Product Promotion Amidst Mental Health Discussion

TikTok has become a prominent social platform known for its short-form narrative videos, which provide a unique sense of authenticity and personal connection.

Brands have embraced this platform, utilizing creator partnerships to promote products in more personalized ways. Bioré is one such brand that recently collaborated with TikTok creator Cecilee Max-Brown to create relatable content promoting their products.

The resulting TikTok video features Brown in a “get ready with me” routine, where she openly discusses her struggles with mental health while applying Bioré’s products as part of her morning routine. Although the video is undoubtedly personal, some viewers found it problematic as it seemed to suggest that the skincare products played a role in alleviating mental health issues.

This led to criticism, with people calling out the brand for capitalizing on personal struggles. This situation highlights the delicate balance brands must strike when incorporating personal narratives into product promotions, ensuring they are sensitive to the nature of the issues being discussed.

Burger King’s International Women’s Day Tweet: Clickbait on the Wrong Platform 

In the digital age, many brands leverage special occasions to launch promotions and campaigns. While this strategy is common, Burger King’s 2021 Women’s Day tweet serves as a notable example of how it can go wrong.

The tweet began with the controversial statement, “women belong in the kitchen,” seemingly designed as clickbait to attract attention for the announcement of a culinary scholarship program for women.

However, this approach backfired, as Twitter users swiftly criticized the brand for endorsing outdated ideas. Recognizing the negative response, Burger King opted to take down the tweet to prevent a potential social media scandal. This incident underscores the importance of being mindful and considerate when using provocative tactics in marketing.

Robinhood Missed Its Super Bowl Ad 

Robinhood, a financial company, spent a lot of money on a TV commercial during the Super Bowl in 2021. In the ad, they said they believed everyone could be an investor.

However, at that time, they were already facing criticism for restricting the trading of certain stocks, like AMC and GameStop, which upset a lot of their customers.

When they shared the commercial on Twitter, people got angry because they thought Robinhood was using the money for the ad instead of fixing their trading issues. People on Twitter called them names like “criminals” and accused them of not caring about regular investors.

Adidas Faces Backlash Over An Insensitive Tweet After The Boston Marathon

After the Boston Marathon, Adidas posted a tweet saying, “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon!”

However, this message inadvertently upset many people as it brought back memories of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, where three individuals lost their lives and 260 were seriously injured.

On social media, users quickly reminded Adidas of the tragic event. 

Faced with significant backlash, the company promptly issued an apology and deleted the post to mitigate the negative sentiments.

This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of sensitivity in marketing, especially when it involves events with emotional significance to the public.

Draper James’ Instagram Dress Giveaway: Unclear Contest Mechanics 

Contests and giveaways on social media are excellent for increasing engagement and promoting your business online on a budget. However, one significant challenge lies in the mechanics of these promotions. Social media contests are similar to real-world contests, so it’s crucial to clearly outline and communicate the rules and requirements to avoid confusion among participants.

A notable example of this challenge occurred with the retail brand Draper James during an Instagram dress giveaway. The promotion aimed to provide dresses to every teacher as a gesture of support during the pandemic.

Unfortunately, the Instagram caption only instructed participants to register via a link without mentioning any limitations.

Consequently, the link received nearly 1 million registrations, while the company only had 250 dresses to give away. This oversight highlights the importance of clearly defining contest rules and requirements to prevent such issues.

Dove Shampoo Bottles Spark Controversy with Body Shape Reflections.

Dove released shampoos in different shapes that reflected the different body types of women.

This campaign went viral for the wrong reasons. Rather than being embraced, the campaign angered and perplexed women.

To many women, it indirectly appeared that a specific type of body shape was the perfect body shape. There were many women who raised this question,” Do we choose bottles that match your body shape?”.

Coca-Cola Faces Backlash Over Controversial Map in Promotional Campaign 

Coca-Cola invited a series of issues, both from Russia and Ukraine. The beverage company created a huge promotional campaign by releasing a photo that looked like a map of Russia, excluding Crimea.

This led to a major backlash from Russians on social media. To rectify this, Coca-Cola published an updated map that included Crimea- which led to a series of tweets from Ukrainian citizens due to tensions resulting from Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Key Takeaways to Avoid These Social Media Failures

Optimizing your social media strategy is crucial to avoid pitfalls experienced by brands like Burger King, coca-cola, Dove, and Adidas.

By adhering to social media marketing best practices, you can safeguard your brand’s reputation and foster a positive online presence. Here are key tips to guide you:

Find Your Audience:

• Conduct in-depth research to understand your audience’s demographics, interests, and challenges.
• Develop customer personas to connect with real people behind the profiles and build online communities.

Choose the Right Social Media Networks:

• Focus on one or two platforms where your audience is most active rather than spreading thin across all networks.
• Consider the preferences of your audience and your brand’s compatibility with each platform.

Be consistent:

• Maintain a consistent brand image and tone across all social media channels.
• Use relevant hashtags, share reputable content, and emotionally connect with your audience to build trust.

Create a content calendar:

• Plan your posts in advance using a content calendar to ensure regular, well-thought-out content.
• Utilize social media management tools to schedule posts, analyze performance, and measure the success of your strategy.

Use social listening:

• Track mentions of your brand, competitor feeds, keywords, and trending hashtags.
• Respond to mentions, answer questions, and analyze reactions to identify potential issues and address them promptly.

Encourage engagement:

• Interact with your followers by soliciting feedback, asking for content requests, and encouraging user-generated content (UGC).
• Actively participate in discussions, respond to comments, and involve your audience in shaping your brand.

Edit thoroughly before publishing

• Consider the message’s tone, relevance to your target audience, and potential interpretations before publishing.
• Keep content PG-rated and family-friendly to maintain a positive image.
• Avoid openly supporting causes or entities without thorough consideration of their potential consequences.
• Always proofread for grammar and obtain written permission for non-original media usage.
• Research custom hashtags to ensure relevance and appropriateness for your brand.

By integrating these best practices into your social media approach, you can enhance your online presence, engage your audience effectively, and safeguard your brand from potential social media failures.

Conclusion

It’s critical to draw lessons from the mistakes made by companies like Adidas, Robinhood, and others in order to navigate the social media world effectively. These actual cases highlight how crucial tact and thoughtful planning are in marketing.

Businesses may avoid reputational issues and establish a strong online presence by implementing the main lessons learned and adhering to best practices.

A well-thought-out social media strategy is essential for interacting with your audience and upholding the integrity of your business in the current digital era.

If you want to avoid such mistakes or make your mark on social media the right way, feel free to talk to us, QeRetail, your eCommerce handyman.

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