A Couple of Big Misses

Did you think that Groupon's Super Bowl ad regarding Tibet was in poor taste?  Many consumers and analysts do. Many believe that it made light of the deprivation and plight of the Tibetan refugees.  Getting attention is good.  Getting negative attention is not.

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Kenneth Cole pulled a big no-no the other day when he tweeted about the political unrest in Cairo.  Drawing awareness to the protests is one thing.  Drawing awareness to the people dying in the streets with the goal of selling your product is....a big mistake.  As pointed out by Harvard Business Review - huge mistake.

Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo - KC

Mr. Cole has since removed the offensive tweet and apologized: 

I apologize to everyone who was offended by my insensitive tweet about the situation in Egypt. I’ve dedicated my life to raising awareness about serious social issues, and in hindsight my attempt at humor regarding a nation liberating themselves against oppression was poorly timed and absolutely inappropriate.

Kenneth Cole, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer

Too little too late?  Or heartfelt and appreciated?  What do you think?  As pointed out by many, on the internet nothing ever really disappears.

How many of you use twitter?  How many of you plan to use it as a marketing tool for your company?  It isn't a bad way to connect with your consumers.  Remember what it is for though and what it is not for.  Don't abuse the power that comes with ability to reach millions of people.