It’s certainly not unusual for brands to fall over themselves to attach themselves to worthy causes: the environment, education, human rights. Because what consumer doesn’t want to believe their purchasing dollar is going toward the greater good? But even if we give brands the benefit of the doubt and assume that their hearts are in the right place, their heads are always firmly focused on the bottom line. Too often, although a company’s efforts may seem noble on the surface, a deeper look shows irresponsible marketing trying to take advantage of unfortunate situations to advance the brand’s self-interest.
Luckily, they don’t always get away with it. We consumers don’t like to be deceived or manipulated, so we use our voice to speak out, causing an uproar that can ultimately damage a brand image — especially when, as in the following examples, the brand’s new feel-good message is so hypocritical in comparison to its day-to-day operations that it becomes an outright joke.
1. Road to Nowhere
In an effort to revitalize a brand that was running on empty with American auto buyers, Chrysler put the pedal to the metal with an epic two-minute Super Bowl commercial that featured a similarly resurgent Eminem and a heartstring-tugging message that encouraged consumers to reconsider buying from Detroit. But consumers were also quick to point out that maybe a debt-riddled company running on taxpayer handouts shouldn’t be blowing $9 million on a Super Bowl spot—especially as it was shutting down plants in Michigan in favor of cheaper labor in Mexico. And this wasn’t the company’s first offense: In 2008, Chrysler ran an ad campaign called “If you can dream it, we can build it” to realign the company with its core standards (quality, safety, technology, connectivity, and environmental responsibility) and interest customers in its new hybrid vehicles. But it also left the decision on selling hybrids up to individual dealerships—who overwhelmingly voted against investing money in training and new tools, and rejected the innovation.
2. Chicken Burrito—Hold the Benefits
Chipotle told the world it was part of the crusade for farmworker justice — although that may not apply to its own. A fast-food company that prides itself on offering “food with integrity” that is environmentally friendly and socially just, Chipotle in 2009 helped promoted Food Inc., a film that explores the negative effects of America’s industrialized food system and encourages consumers to become more socially and environmentally conscious. Unfortunately for Chipotle, their tomato farmers in Florida’s Immokalee area spoke up, pointing out that they were subjected to some of the poorest labor standards in the US.
3. Oil’s Well the Ends Well
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Award was meant to help make Shell look greener as it battled a reputation of endangering the environment. The world’s third-largest oil company donated 750,000 pounds to the British Natural History Museum to sponsor their international showcase of the best nature photography from 2007-2008, while its business remained rooted in oil and gas production, one of the greatest causes of climate change. The public outrage was so extensive, supporting an anti-brand traveling show called Shell’s Wild Lie, that the effort was discontinued after two years.
4. Making Green from Greenwashing
The Royal Bank of Scotland sponsored Climate Week in the UK, which sought to raise awareness and publicize methods of fighting climate change. Unfortunately, RBS proved it will sponsor just about anything — 7 billion pounds to climate-change-exacerbating coal companies included. Scottish students voted it the winner of the Greenwash Coup of the Year Award for claiming to support the environment while actively contributing to climate change.
5. Rubbing Sugar in the Wound
Oh, KFC, how we love to scratch our heads over your apparent insanity. The same company that brought obesity-fearing Americans the Double Down sandwich (boasting deep-fried chicken patties in place of bread, bacon, and cheese) and the Buckets for the Cure campaign (raising money for breast cancer research through the sale of fattening fried breasts) has now done something uniquely new to baffle the world. It’s a simple concept: Buy a $2.99 Mega Jug of soda—boasting a whopping 56 spoonfuls of sugar and 800 calories—and KFC will donate a dollar of said purchase to fund research to try to cure juvenile diabetes (brilliant scientific conclusion #1: don’t drink a half gallon of sugary soda). Yes, we’re aware that type 1 and type 2 diabetes are two different diseases, but still: Nobody thought this was a bad idea?
6. Freedom or Fifty Cents Off? You Choose!
Groupon’s Super Bowl ad, like many, used humor to get its main point across: that Groupon uses strength in numbers to offer great discounts on things consumers want. But consumers also want to help the less fortunate and oppressed populations on the world, and using Tibet’s decades-long struggle for freedom as a punchline wasn’t just in poor taste—it was especially hypocritical for a company that began its life as a website called The Point, which utilized public votes to generate publicity and funding for worthy non-profit causes.
7. What’s German for Blatant Racism?
Admittedly, this Unicef ad ran in Germany, which doesn’t have the same history of racially-based enslavement and discrimination that we have in the United States (although history would certainly suggest that racial tolerance has not always been high on their priority list). But using children painted in blackface in an attempt to generate respect and compassion for underprivileged people in Africa might not have been the wisest choice…
8. A Shot in the Dark
This one is more of a silly (or scary) nonsensical connection: a Montana Radio Shack offering a free gun (or pizza!) with purchase of a Dish Network system. But think about it as a franchise owner: Rather than handing out guns as burglary protection, wouldn’t the owner prefer, I dunno, to sell a home security system? Or just let the robbery happen and then have customers coming in needing to replace an entire home of stolen electronics?
Have any others ruffled your feathers that we forgot to mention? Let us know below!
Images: Denver Fair Food, A World to Win, Flashmunki Photography, Unicef, and Selfish Giving