Everyone makes mistakes. Accidentally hitting “reply all” on a company-wide email or forgetting to mute during a Zoom call are relatable slip-ups. Similarly, brands, run by people, are prone to errors. In today’s hyper-connected world, a single misstep can significantly damage a brand’s reputation.
DraftKings experienced this firsthand. On September 11, 2023, they launched a “Never Forget” parlay, offering payouts if New York teams – the Mets, Yankees, and Jets – won. This promotion, intended to capitalize on game day excitement, tragically exploited the solemnity of 9/11. Public outcry erupted across social media, even drawing a response from the New York City fire commissioner who served during 9/11. DraftKings swiftly removed the promotion and issued an apology, mitigating further damage.
While using 9/11 for a promotion was undeniably a severe misjudgment, and DraftKings’ brand image suffered, their recovery after issuing an apology offers valuable lessons. Let’s explore how brands can leverage public relations to navigate marketing failures, learn from missteps, and ultimately transform trials into triumphs. Just as a well-crafted Oh Partners Offer Letter can set the stage for a successful collaboration, a thoughtful PR strategy can rebuild trust after a brand error.
Public Relations: Your Guide to Flipping Marketing Fails
The Three A’s of Recovery: Acknowledge, Apologize, and Act
Not every piece of content will resonate with every audience member. While constructive criticism is valuable, brands must discern genuine concern from isolated negative feedback. However, when a campaign triggers widespread criticism, it’s a clear signal of a problem. Brands must be receptive to this negative feedback and readily admit fault. This admission should be accompanied by immediate action: removing the problematic content, whether it’s a social media post or an entire campaign.
Simultaneously, the public relations team should spring into action, promptly and formally addressing the issue. The scale of the mistake dictates the response – a press release for larger incidents or a public statement on owned media channels like social media, websites, or email for smaller ones. Regardless of the platform, the statement must include a sincere apology, acknowledge the brand’s responsibility, and outline a clear plan to rectify the situation and prevent recurrence.
Pepsi’s Misstep in Addressing Social Injustice
Pepsi’s 2017 ad featuring Kendall Jenner remains a stark example of a significant brand blunder and the intense backlash that can follow a tone-deaf apology. The ad attempted to co-opt the imagery of social justice movements, trivializing the Black Lives Matter movement by suggesting that social harmony could be achieved by sharing a Pepsi.
Pepsi Ad featuring Kendall Jenner
Source: NBC News
While Pepsi did acknowledge the controversy surrounding the ad, their apology fell short of addressing the core issue. Their official statement, “Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly, we missed the mark, and we apologize,” lacked depth and failed to demonstrate a genuine understanding of the offense caused.
Pepsi's Apology Statement on Twitter
Source: X.com
This statement felt dismissive, brushing aside the issue with a superficial apology and no concrete steps for improvement. A more effective apology would have demonstrated an understanding of why the ad was offensive, acknowledging the trivialization of social justice issues, and outlining a commitment to greater sensitivity and awareness in future campaigns. Just as a poorly worded oh partners offer letter can damage a potential partnership, an insincere apology can further erode brand trust.
Show Gratitude to Your Loyal Fans
In the midst of public criticism, brands must remember their core audience: their customers and loyalists. These are the individuals who sustain businesses, even through occasional missteps. In the aftermath of a marketing failure, expressing gratitude to this audience is paramount. Brands need to convey sincere appreciation for their customers’ past loyalty, their current feedback, and their understanding. This acknowledgement reinforces the value of the customer relationship and can help rebuild goodwill.
Toronto Maple Leafs’ Open Letter of Apology
Following a seven-year playoff drought in 2012, Toronto Maple Leafs fans voiced their frustration, demanding accountability from the team’s management. Chairman Lawrence M. Tanenbaum responded with an open letter to fans that included both an apology and a message of gratitude. Alongside acknowledging the team’s poor performance, the letter thanked fans for their unwavering support and promised improvements for the following season. Whether motivated by genuine remorse or strategic damage control, this public apology letter positively influenced public perception of the organization.
Toronto Maple Leafs apology letter to fans
Source: NESN
Revise, Re-strategize, and Prioritize Your Audience
A marketing misstep can serve as a catalyst for valuable customer engagement. It’s an opportunity to directly solicit feedback and gain deeper insights into the target audience. Actively seeking input can transform critics into collaborators, shifting their perspective from negativity to constructive advice that can guide future brand strategies.
This feedback is invaluable for refining customer personas. If a message missed the mark, it might indicate outdated or inaccurate audience data. Many communication breakdowns stem from a lack of understanding of the target audience and their evolving needs and preferences.
Furthermore, this data should inform updates to the brand’s annual marketing plan. Any messaging that clashes with revised customer personas must be re-evaluated and adjusted. Agility and adaptability are crucial for long-term marketing success. Just as adapting a partnership strategy after initial feedback is important following an oh partners offer letter, marketing plans need to be flexible.
Domino’s: From Pizza Chain to E-commerce Innovator
While revisiting target audiences is crucial for damage control, proactively engaging with audiences can also propel businesses towards groundbreaking innovation. Domino’s turnaround story exemplifies this principle. In the mid-2000s, Domino’s faced significant financial challenges and a declining brand perception. After improving their menu, they sought a unique differentiator. They recognized the growing importance of technology and online convenience and transformed themselves from a pizza company into an e-commerce platform.
Domino's Pizza Tracker
Source: Fast Company
Domino’s addressed customer pain points by pioneering online ordering, personalized pizza customization, and the now-ubiquitous pizza tracker. This customer-centric approach revolutionized the food and beverage industry. Domino’s continues to lead in technology innovation within its sector, driven by the data they gather about their audience and their commitment to being a technology-first company.
A Strong PR Team: The Cornerstone of Brand Reputation
Brand crises are inevitable. It’s not a matter of if a mistake will happen, but when. Turning a marketing trial into a triumph hinges on having a proactive and responsive public relations team. An effective PR team develops a comprehensive crisis communication plan before any issue arises, ensuring they are prepared to execute it swiftly and decisively when needed.
The strategies outlined above are essential best practices for navigating marketing blunders. Embracing these challenges as opportunities to demonstrate empathy, build deeper connections with your audience, and humanize your brand can ultimately strengthen your brand reputation.
Does your brand need a robust plan to navigate potential setbacks? Contact us today to consult with our award-winning PR team and ensure your brand is prepared to turn any trial into a triumph, much like crafting a compelling oh partners offer letter sets the stage for successful partnerships.
