Marketing Horror Stories A Lesson in What Not to Do
• Back when“Oprah”was the biggest show on television, KFC ran an ad offering a free two-piece chickenmeal with two sides and a biscuit for anyone who went to their website and downloaded a coupon. Over 10.5 million coupons were downloaded, and KFC had to give away $42 million in free food. • In the 1990s, Hoover Company in the United Kingdomoffered two round-trip plane tickets with the purchase of a vacuum. Unfortunately, even in the‘90s, most vacuums were still cheaper than plane tickets, and Hoover lost 50 million pounds in what remains the biggest promotional disaster ever. Cartoon Network Causes a Bomb Scare Guerrilla marketing can create valuable word of mouth— think about the success of the movie“IT”last year. The marketing for
Every marketing professional wants their campaign to be memorable. They want consumers to take notice—or take the bait —andmake their company a big profit. But sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned. The campaigns below certainly won the attention of consumers, but in each case, what started out as a marketing dreamquickly turned into a nightmare. Fiat’s Direct Mail Disaster In 1992, women across Spain received anonymous letters inviting them to go on a“little adventure.”The letters stated,“We met again on the street yesterday, and I noticed how you glanced interestedly inmy direction.” Fearing a stalker, many women locked themselves in their homes. A few days later, another letter arrived, revealing the identity of the“secret admirer”as the new Fiat Cinquecento. Yes, the creepy letters were part of a marketing campaign by the Italian car company. Fiat
apologized and ended the campaign after criticism from consumer protection groups, Social Minister Cristina Alberdi, and the 50,000 women who received the letters. KFC and Hoover Can’t Do Math A shocking number of companies hold giveaway promotions without calculating exactly howmuch they will cost. Here are a few examples.
the film included simple red balloons tied to stormdrains. But Cartoon Network didn’t have quite the same luck in 2007 when they tried to promote their show“Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”When the network put electronic devices featuring a character from the show all over Boston, city residents thought the strange contraptions looked like bombs and called the police. This triggered a terrorist scare that ultimately cost the general manager of Cartoon Network his job.
Take a Break!
Spiced
PUMPKIN SEED CRUNCH
Ingredients
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1 large egg white
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1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
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1 teaspoon light agave syrup
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1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
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Nonstick vegetable oil spray
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1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
Directions
1. Heat oven to 300 F. 2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk
4. Using a slotted spoon, strain spoonfuls of mixture over bowl and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess egg white mixture. 5. Bake 20–25 minutes, tossing once. 6. Let cool and serve.
together egg white, agave, salt, and spices. Add nuts and seeds and toss until evenly coated.
Inspired by Bon Appétit Magazine
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