c/brand-fails-pr-disasters

I finally saw a brand apologize properly after a huge mess up on TikTok

This coffee chain in Austin posted a really tone-deaf ad last week and got roasted for days, but their CEO did a live video admitting they were wrong and laid out specific changes. Has anyone else seen a brand actually recover well from something like that?

Paid $50 for a branded cooler that fell apart on its first camping trip

I bought a Yeti knockoff called the 'Arctic Chill' cooler for a weekend in the Smokies. The handle snapped clean off when I picked it up, spilling ice and drinks everywhere. Their customer service just offered a 10% coupon for my next buy, which feels like a bad joke. Has anyone else had a brand try to fix a clear product fail with a weak discount?

I just read that a major soda brand spent over $2 million on a failed apology ad campaign after a social media backlash

Found that crazy number in a marketing case study, and it makes you wonder if they ever even talk to real people before launching these things, right?

So I had to pick between a public apology video or a written statement for a client's screw-up

This was for a local bakery that got caught using a stock photo for their 'fresh, local' fruit on social media (people found the original on a stock site). The choice was a quick, scripted video from the owner or a detailed written post. We went with the video, thinking it felt more personal. It totally backfired because the owner looked stiff and people called it fake, saying the apology 'tasted like cardboard.' The written post we put out two days later did way better, just laying out the facts and the new photo policy. Has anyone else seen a video apology flop hard when words would have worked?

Vent: That time a local brewery in Asheville posted a truly awful tweet last month

They tried to joke about a serious news event, got absolutely roasted for 48 hours, and their 'apology' was just a link to a new beer release. Has anyone seen a brand try to fix a mess by just selling something?

Bought a 'sustainable' water bottle brand's new collab. The lid snapped clean off after two days. Their fix? A 15% off coupon for my next purchase. Not a replacement.

Pro tip: I used to think a brand's apology video was a good move, but after watching that camping gear company's 7-minute 'explanation' last week, I'm convinced they make things worse 90% of the time.

PSA: My friend told me to never trust a brand apology video filmed in a car.

Honestly, I laughed when she said it, but then that juice company's CEO did exactly that after their 'all natural' label got busted for having 12 artificial colors, and the whole thing felt so fake it just made people angrier. Has anyone else seen a brand apology that just made the whole mess worse?

Back in 2017, I thought the Pepsi ad with Kendall Jenner was just a dumb mistake.

Figured it would blow over in a week. But the backlash was huge, like 24 hours of solid anger online. They pulled it and apologized, but the damage was done. Anyone remember another ad that missed the mark that badly?

Vent: That '24-hour' customer service response from a big coffee chain took 8 days to actually fix my refund.

They kept saying the ticket was 'escalated' but I had to tweet at them publicly before anyone actually looked at it. Has anyone else had a brand's apology email feel totally empty compared to getting a real person to help?

Unpopular opinion: That juice company's 'apology' for the moldy bottles took 4 days and made me angrier

They finally posted a video saying 'we hear you' after ignoring everyone, but it felt totally fake. Anyone else think brands just wait for things to blow over now?

Showerthought: That $40 'apology' credit from the airline meltdown felt like a slap in the face.

They stranded me in Charlotte for two days, costing me a hotel and meals, then offered a voucher that barely covers a checked bag. Has anyone else gotten a 'fix' that just made the whole thing feel worse?

Just read that a huge soda brand spent over $100 million on a failed flavor launch

Tbh, I was looking up old marketing flops for a video essay idea and found this on a business news site. The brand, let's call them 'FizzCo', launched a weird cucumber-lime soda a few years back. They did a massive ad push and store displays everywhere, but people just hated the taste. The crazy part is the article said they lost more than a hundred million dollars on the whole thing before they pulled it. Has anyone else seen a brand sink that much cash into something that flopped so hard?

That time a local bakery's apology email made things way worse

So my favorite spot in Portland sent out an email last week about a price hike, but they called their own customers 'cheap' for complaining. I saw the whole thing blow up on their Instagram. Their fix? They posted a video apology where the owner just read from a script for two whole minutes, didn't look at the camera once. It felt so fake it got more angry comments. Has anyone else seen a brand try to apologize and just dig a deeper hole?

Just read that the Pepsi Kendall Jenner ad cost them a 40% drop in brand favorability

I was looking at some old case studies and saw that number in a marketing report. The ad tried to use a protest scene to sell soda, which was a pretty bad idea. It's wild how one video can do that much damage. Has anyone seen a brand bounce back from a hit like that?

My local bakery tried to hide a price hike with a 'loyalty program' and it blew up

They had a choice: be upfront about raising croissant prices by 50 cents or launch a confusing points system that hid the cost. They picked the points system. Last Tuesday, their social media was flooded with angry comments from regulars who felt tricked. Their apology email just made it worse by calling it a 'value upgrade'. Has anyone seen a small business recover from something like this without just rolling back the change?