Controversial marketing

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Can you believe how far marketers will go to promote their brand, even if it means instigating controversies?

Controversial marketing is the deliberate creation of promotional content that is likely to elicit criticism, spark debate, and insult the public.

In the most primitive sense, controversial marketing alludes to its use of controversy as a marketing ploy for many at times- it acts like a surprising Mike Tyson’s upper-cut that no one saw coming.


Potential Effects of Controversial Marketing

Without that controversial video, Kim Kardashian and the rest of her siblings may not be the marketing moguls they are today. Of course, not every brand would dare go to such extremes. Below are some of the things controversial marketing can do to your brand.

Pros:

  1. Creates buzzElicits emotion
  2. Makes your brand unforgettable

Cons:

  1. Destroy Brand Image
  2. Brand boycott
  3. Brand out of focus

Controversies that did work:-

Burger King: Whopper Neutrality (2018)

Source: www.becausexm.com 

Burger King used the Whopper neutrality comparison to explain and persuade consumers to pay a premium to have their meal delivered. Although net neutrality is unrelated to burgers, the ad resulted in $67 million in earned media and a 3.8 per cent increase in sales – all while sparking dialogues about the topic. 

Anheuser-Busch: Born the Hard Way (2017)

Source: www.stltoday.com

Budweiser is usually associated with themes of American patriotism. Anheuser-Busch took a stance on an important issue that is vital to their brand by telling a gripping and emotional story about the founding of their company. The ad garnered more than 21.7 million views in only three days. 

Controversies that just didn't work:-

Dove: Facebook misfire (2017)

Source: www.thedrum.com

In a Facebook ad for Dove body wash, the brand portrayed a black woman removing her top and metamorphosizing into a white woman after using the product. The ad sparked outrage among the brand’s social media followers, who slammed the business with hashtags like #DoneWithDove and called for a boycott of its products.

Pepsi: ‘Kendall Jenner advert’ (2017)


Source: www.nytimes.com


Pepsi's 'Live for Now' campaign, arguably the worst advertising flop in recent memory, was yanked by the soft drink retailer less than 24 hours after it debuted. The two-and-a-half-minute film depicts an ethnically diverse, colour-coordinated mass of young people protesting against ... we are not sure what, before supermodel, Kendall Jenner steps in with her can of Pepsi to stop police brutality and save the day.


The Bottom Line

The ultimate question is if controversial marketing is effective or not? 

Well, it is a calculated risk. To evade the risks, there must be a thorough understanding of your target audience. It is also important to remember that you will not always be able to please everyone. 

Nevertheless, if they can see that your message is based on your underlying beliefs and not just to hop on a bandwagon, there is a strong possibility that your controversial marketing will resonate with the people you want to connect with.


-Harsh Papnoi

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