Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

Need Examples Of Fear-based Ads Backfiring

Posted by Anonymous on 3/26/2009 at 9:28 PM ET 500 Points
Hello Experts,

I need your help for a presentation I'm giving. I am looking for very concrete examples of when using fear or threats in ads or promotions has definitely backfired on an individual, advertiser, or advertising agency.

Really need specifics, not just generalities such as "See McCain and Palin Campaign."

Looking for info such as -- Advertiser X (specific company or person) did Y (used fear or threat in this particular manner) and Z happened (customers got angry, public was offended, product failed, stocks took a nosedive, breach in trust, negative blog posts, bad press, lost sponsors, etc.)

I'm looking for backfire, consequences to address, backlash, apologies needing to be made or PR blunder to live down type of stuff -- not just an unsuccessful effort.

Any books, resources or studies specifically detailing these kinds of backfires caused by using fear messages in marketing, would be great too.

The more specific, the easier it is for me to put my hands on it, the better.

with much appreciation for your individual and collective brains,

Ana-Marie
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 3/27/2009 at 2:23 AM Member

    Dickies Clothing Loses Customers Due to Bad Advertising Campaign:

    Link:

    https://www.sublimited.net/skateboard-business/dickies-clothing-loses-custo...
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 3/27/2009 at 9:23 AM Accepted
    There's a chapter in Martin Lindstrom's "buy•ology" book about cigarette health labelling's true effects that might be quite helpful to you.
  • Posted on 3/27/2009 at 9:27 PM Accepted
    Perhaps you've heard of Robert Cialdini, he wrote the book "Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways To Be Persuasive."

    In one chapter he references a study about college students who were given a phamphlet explaining the dangers of not getting a tetnus shot (fear emphasis). Turns out the message only worked on the group of students who received a specific plan of action to alleviate the danger.

    I couldn't find the whole study, but here's a short overview of it from the babson.edu site https://cli.gs/vRsa1D.

    I've written specifically about this topic regarding anti-smoking advertising, you can read the full post at https://cli.gs/sMbt5Y
  • Posted by jstiles on 4/1/2009 at 12:21 PM Accepted
    I remember a series of ads from jeans mfr Brittania that, while well intentioned, had unintended results. They were trying to raise awareness about human rights and global poverty issues but the images they used were so graphic and depressing that the only result was negative PR. This was in the late eighties if memory serves.

    Best of luck!
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