Page 16 - Journal of Strategic Marketing Magazine - April 2019
P. 16
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
The more economical and eficient your message, the
less likely you are to land knee-deep in the brown stuff,
trying to fruitlessly explain how you didn’t mean for your
message to be misconstrued.
The hand grenade of social media spotlight of the media after being Also in poor taste – pun intended
Toss the hand grenade of social accused of stealing a private designer’s – was retail giant Coca-Cola having to
media into the mix, and the inevitable hummingbird design for scatter slam the brakes on its nationwide Share
sh*tstorm morphs into a veritable cushions. a Coke activation as a result of one of
tornado, bringing down corporate Then a locally produced baby its cans going out with the Xitsonga
reputations and more often than not, carrier design made for the third word Xitombo (vagina) printed on it.
ending careers. It’s almost impossible allegation that the company makes it a What delicious fodder for social media!
to recover when the madness of instant habit of stealing intellectual property. The incident rightfully so offended
messaging kicks into gear. This time, in the face of huge public the Tsonga community and the
I’ve decided purposefully to keep embarrassment, Woolworths found public at large, that it actually made
away from politics as we could be itself apologetically begging and a mockery of the original spirit of the
here for ages, and instead focus on scraping at the feet of Cape Town- Coca-Cola campaign, which was about
a few well-known brands that have based independent designer Shannon inclusivity, respecting diversity and
landed themselves in hot water. Take MacLaughlin. understanding. Yeah, right.
The result: the immediate
While on the subject of inclusivity,
Woolworths – or as coined by social withdrawal from sale of its supposedly pen manufacturer Bic had to hastily
media: Woolworse. in-house product (read: made in pull a South African Women’s Day
Hot on the heels of engaging China) that was remarkably similar to advert that was branded sexist and
international experts in the aftermath the entrepreneur’s baby carrier design. offensive to women.
of the furore around the retail giant’s I found the 'unreserved’ apology for Penned alongside a picture of a
appropriation of the style and ethos what the retailer described as a “failure woman dressed in a power suit, were
of the Frankies retro drinks brand, it of internal processes” pathetic, to say the words: “Look like a girl, act like a
found itself again in the unlattering the least. lady, think like a man, work like a boss.”
- Image: https://www.coke.co.za/en/shareacokedigitalcan/
p14 - Strategic Marketing
The more economical and eficient your message, the
less likely you are to land knee-deep in the brown stuff,
trying to fruitlessly explain how you didn’t mean for your
message to be misconstrued.
The hand grenade of social media spotlight of the media after being Also in poor taste – pun intended
Toss the hand grenade of social accused of stealing a private designer’s – was retail giant Coca-Cola having to
media into the mix, and the inevitable hummingbird design for scatter slam the brakes on its nationwide Share
sh*tstorm morphs into a veritable cushions. a Coke activation as a result of one of
tornado, bringing down corporate Then a locally produced baby its cans going out with the Xitsonga
reputations and more often than not, carrier design made for the third word Xitombo (vagina) printed on it.
ending careers. It’s almost impossible allegation that the company makes it a What delicious fodder for social media!
to recover when the madness of instant habit of stealing intellectual property. The incident rightfully so offended
messaging kicks into gear. This time, in the face of huge public the Tsonga community and the
I’ve decided purposefully to keep embarrassment, Woolworths found public at large, that it actually made
away from politics as we could be itself apologetically begging and a mockery of the original spirit of the
here for ages, and instead focus on scraping at the feet of Cape Town- Coca-Cola campaign, which was about
a few well-known brands that have based independent designer Shannon inclusivity, respecting diversity and
landed themselves in hot water. Take MacLaughlin. understanding. Yeah, right.
The result: the immediate
While on the subject of inclusivity,
Woolworths – or as coined by social withdrawal from sale of its supposedly pen manufacturer Bic had to hastily
media: Woolworse. in-house product (read: made in pull a South African Women’s Day
Hot on the heels of engaging China) that was remarkably similar to advert that was branded sexist and
international experts in the aftermath the entrepreneur’s baby carrier design. offensive to women.
of the furore around the retail giant’s I found the 'unreserved’ apology for Penned alongside a picture of a
appropriation of the style and ethos what the retailer described as a “failure woman dressed in a power suit, were
of the Frankies retro drinks brand, it of internal processes” pathetic, to say the words: “Look like a girl, act like a
found itself again in the unlattering the least. lady, think like a man, work like a boss.”
- Image: https://www.coke.co.za/en/shareacokedigitalcan/
p14 - Strategic Marketing
