Effectuating proper brand management can be more intense than you think. Yes, speed of execution is important, but so is due diligence. Whether global or local, a brand only has value if the target audiences perceive it that way. And, as you’ll see below, perception often usurps reality … for better or worse.

1. MARKETING
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2. In 2007, launched a guerilla marketing
campaign in which they set up LED
signs in various locations to promote
one of their cartoons.
It turned into a full blown
terrorism scare, resulting
in the shut-down of many
public transportation
lines, bridges, and roads.
The head of Cartoon
Network lost his job,
and cost the company
$2,000,000
YOU’RE
FIRED!
CARTOON NETWORK

3. FRANK PERDUE
was translated into Spanish as:
"It takes an aroused man
to make a chicken affectionate"
Frank Perdue's chicken slogan,
"It takes a strong man
to make a tender chicken"¿Qué?
In Africa, companies
routinely put pictures on the
label of what's inside, since
most people can't read.
When Gerber started
selling baby food in
Africa, they used the
same packaging as
they did in the U.S.
GERBER

4. turned its slogan,
"Turn It Loose"
into Spanish where its
translation was read as:
"Suffer From Diarrhea"
COORS
in Chinese, translated into
Pepsi's campaign,
"Pepsi brings your ancestors
back from the grave"
"Come alive with the
Pepsi Generation"
P
E
P
S
I

5. Named one of its desks:
"Fartfull"
IKEA
Parker Pen marketed a ball-point
pen in Mexico that read:
"It won't leak in your pocket
and make you pregnant"
It was supposed to say:
"It won't leak in your pocket
and embarrass you"
P
A
R
K
E
R
P
E
N

6. In 2011, Netflix decided to split the company
into two companies. Netflix for movie rentals
and Qwikster for movie streaming. It split
the market and would have resulted in a
60% price increase for both services.
After much negativity and
general confusion, Netflix
eventually went back on their
announcement of Qwikster. But
the damage was already done.
Netflix lost around
subscribers
800,000
Their stock dropped
in four months
77%
QWIKSTER
WE’RE
SORRY :(

7. Introduced the "Mist Stick"
curling iron, only to find out that
in German slang, it translated to:
CLAIROL
“Manure Stick”
YOU SMELL
SOMETHING?
The Coca-Cola name in China was
first read as "Ke-kou-ke-la", meaning:
"Bite the wax tadpole"
or
"Female horse stuffed
with wax"
depending on the dialect.
COCA-COLA

8. #Aurora is trending,
clearly about our Kim K
inspired #Aurora dress
CELEB BOUTIQUE TWEETED:
FAILS
COMPANY TWEET
While the rest of the world was waking up
to news that a man in Aurora, CO, had killed
a dozen people inside a movie theater
Who’s #notguilty about
eating all the tasty
treats they want?!
ENTENMANN’S TWEETED:
Shortly after Casey Anthony was acquitted
on charges that she’d murdered her young
daughter, and #notguilty was trending
Millions are in uproar in
#Cairo. Rumor is they
heard our new spring
collection is now
available online…
KENNETH COLE TWEETED:
In the middle of the protests against
the Egyptian government in Cairo

9. BEFORE AFTER
GONE BAD!
COMPANY LOGO REDESIGNS
>
>
In October 2010, Gap launched a new logo
in an attempt to be more modern.
Two days later, Gap put the old logo back
into place after the unbelievable backlash
from the public.

10. >
BEFORE AFTER
GONE BAD!
COMPANY LOGO REDESIGNS
>
urbandictionary.com lists “syfy”
as a slang term for syphilis.
Pepsi didn’t realize the amount of
people who would parody their logo.
>
>

11. SOURCES:
www.webdesignshock.com/bad-rebranding/
www.digitaldreams.com.ar/english/empresa/marketing_blunders.htm
www.kwintessential.co.uk/cultural-services/articles/crosscultural-blunders.html
www.consumerist.com/2012/10/08/10-examples-of-why-companies-should-just-avoid-twitter-altogether/
www.blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33396/8-of-the-Biggest-Marketing-Faux-Pas-of-All-Time.aspx
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