Public Relations campaigns that failed on execution
Technically, all Public Relations campaigns that fail, have to fail on execution. However, here is a few of the most awkward and poorly executed public relations campaigns in the past decade.
Starbucks #RaceTogether
In 2015, Starbucks decided to run a campaign regarding racial inequality in the United States after the events that transpired in 2014. This campaign focused on having baristas initiate conversations regarding racial inequality with customers. However, this campaign severely backfired with all audiences due to the plethora of issues involving the motives and execution. In one public, they believed that if Starbucks cared about people of color, they would hire more in executive positions. In another public, they did not want to be bothered by a barista with questions regarding racial inequality while trying to order coffee. This caused the campaign to backfire and led to many to boycott Starbucks or publicly denounce them on social media.
Courtesy of Adweek
2. Bud Light’s “Up for Whatever”
In an attempt to encourage its drinkers to let loose, Bud Light released the “Up for Whatever” campaign in 2015. The campaign immediately received backlash due to the verbiage and advertisements used, in which some said “remove no from your vocabulary for the night.” This campaign seemed to encourage rape culture, as it told its drinkers to not say no to “whatever happens.” Since 72% of rapes occur to women who are intoxicated, this message was portrayed as insensitive and not executed well. Though the underlying intent of this campaign was in good faith, the public thought differently.
Courtesy of Newsweek
Tesla’s Cybertruck
Though Elon Musk has since recovered after this public relations blunder, it is still just as memorable. In 2019, Musk revealed the new Tesla Cybertruck at a large event with massive media coverage. This vehicle was ground-breaking in style and technology, which garnered a lot of attention from the media and the public. In the presentation, Musk states that the Cybertruck is “bulletproof” but then proceeds to throw steel balls that shatter the window, then states “there is room for improvement.”This caused a huge controversy, as the Cybertruck was a highly-anticipated vehicle release for Tesla, which caused the stock to drop 6%.