DailyDirt: Epic Fail In Advertising
from the urls-we-dig-up dept
There are numerous ways to piss off customers. Most companies make mistakes from time to time in advertising, but every so often, there are mistakes so egregious that people just can't look away. Sometimes bad publicity is still publicity, but here are some train-wreck examples.- Some advertisers are rushing to Rush Limbaugh, against the tide of sponsors running away from him. After Limbaugh called Sandra Fluke a slut, it seems that a couple escort services would like to advertise their services on Limbaugh's show (and apparently these companies are just fine with Rush's use of the word slut). [url]
- Mommy bloggers are not a group you want to offend, and it might seem cute to try to have a little fun with some motherhood observations... However, the makers of Motrin found out the hard way that it needs to choose its words more carefully. [url]
- Woody Harrelson doesn't actually mean "ask me anything" when he talks to people online. Harrelson just wanted to promote his new movie, but instead enraged would-be fans in a discussion that went downhill pretty quickly. [url]
- To discover more interesting advertising-related content, check out what's floating around on StumbleUpon. [url]
Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.
While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.
–The Techdirt Team
Filed Under: advertising, failures, motrin, publicity, rush limbaugh, woody harrelson
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
A very good recovery by Motrin
If only other corporations would realize just how bad their arrogance makes them look, and would try showing some sympathy and humility instead we could all be looking at a much more pleasant society. And I won't even mention politicians... ;)
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
I wonder if he will personally endorse the product.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
This entire thing is nothing more than Obama's attempt to silence anyone he considers his enemy. Obama is an enemy of freedom of speech. He is trying to silence the Internet because it is free and is using this incident to try and further erode our freedom of speech.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
If accurate reporting is a smear then perhaps Mr. Limbaugh should not act in such a manner.
This entire thing is nothing more than Obama's attempt to silence anyone he considers his enemy.
Do you actually have proof to back up this claim?
Why not blame the Clintons?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
Are you implying that the government has finally perfected that thought control mind ray device and put words into Rush's mouth?
Hmmm. Might be time to re-line my wizard hat with some new tin foil.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Obama is the greatest threat to freedom of speech.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rush, you are a drug addict. You are the lowlife you despise. Go ahead and attack a young woman and try to feel superior.
We see the man behind the curtain.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
At least Rush is revealing the true ugliness of it all
This whole advertiser rebellion has been so refreshing to me. As an American and as a woman, I cannot express enough how deeply disturbed I am at the contraception and abortion debate...if you can call it that. I absolutely cannot believe I live in a world in which my state could mandate governmental rape, which is exactly what the transvaginal ultrasounds are. And that's just one of the ridiculous issues plaguing discussion of women's health.
I'm actually kind of glad Rush decided to be an idiot because he revealed the true ugliness bubbling just under the surface.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Rush was right
There is no "transvaginal`ultrasound in the new law. The procedure is nothing more than what planned parenthood already requires before an abortion (which is hardly a non-invasive procedure).
Sandra Fluke was an activist who went to a Catholic college to get the government to force them to go against their beliefs. This is not about contraception, it`s about government coercion. Obama and his media stooges has reframed this a "war on women".
Sandra Fluke represents a generation of entitled morons who want the state to solve all their problems. It's funny none of the liberal types who are bashing Rush seemed to mind all the mysoginistic remarks towards Sarah Palin (or any conservative woman for that matter).
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Rush was right
You can attempt to reframe and reframe and reframe these debates based on whatever spin you want, but Rush is not right from any perspective.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Rush was right
Sandra Fluke is a public activist, not the innocent student the media is trying to portray her as.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Re: Re: Rush was right
Thank you for pointing out such an obvious oversight.
btw, how much dead airtime will be tolerated before the show is pulled?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Rush was right
I keep hearing this... No, it's been about women's health concerns and the Republicans have been on the wrong side of this issue. It should be about a woman having a conversation with their doctor. It's about a woman being able to testify to Congress about what contraceptives help her do (education, working, etc) without having religious nuts come in with a morality plea that somehow she's a shameful human being for taking contraceptives.
First, I doubt you've read anything in regards to this issue. A friend had to have an ovary removed because she couldn't take contraceptives on the Jesuit Georgetown campus. Her friend was gay so pregnancy was not an issue in this regard. She also discusses other issues where women have to take contraception irregularly simply because it's not enough.
What the Georgetown campus does not cover, it makes very good economic sense for the insurance companies to cover. In fact, that is a VERY good policy in allowing women to get out of the home and pursue their own economic pursuits. So much so, that the Catholic Health Association endorsed the individual mandate that the Heritage Foundation made so long ago.
In short, this "controversy" has been about access. Nothing more. There's no sense of entitlement but trying to find a way to better the women on the Georgetown campus that don't have much in the way of healthcare needs.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
[ link to this | view in chronology ]