A closer look at marketing ideas that were good in theory but failed miserably. Despite the best-laid plans, history is littered with tales of businesses whose marketing stunts ran amok.
To help you learn from other business’s mistakes–and avoid these PR nightmares–here’s the third installment in this week-long series of marketing stunts that flopped.
At a rugby match in 2002 between New Zealand and Australia, two streakers interrupted the game, wearing nothing but the Vodafone logo.
The police got involved, arresting the streakers before the game was over, and one of the CEOs of Vodafone was forced to apologize for encouraging these two guys to streak through the game–and thus break the law.
The company also ended up donating $30,000 pounds to a nonprofit campaign aimed at reducing sports injuries.
The Lesson: If you have to break a law to pull off your marketing stunt, it’s probably not a good idea.
Photo by BBC.
Brad Newman on October 10th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Actually a very good idea…. Creative and funny! Thanks for the cool post
danakeith on June 11th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
hahahaaa.. yah, i agree with Brad Newman, really unique and so funny.