Controversy in marketing is nothing new. Brands are always looking for ways to create a splash and sometimes controversy is the best way to do that. Some brands also get tangled into controversial issues they shouldn’t, either intentionally or not, which can harm their bottom line.
Daniel Hennessy tells CNBC that introducing controversy can be an effective way to get noticed. “The cleverest thing an advertiser can do is the opposite of what everyone else is doing," said Hennessy. "Sometimes it's risky, yes; but it's better to be talked about than not talked about."
So how has controversy been used in marketing and is it something your brand should engage in?
Creating Controversy Can Pay Off
One of the most recent examples of a marketing campaign that created controversy comes from Bikini Luxe, an online fashion clothing and swimwear retailer founded by Candice Galek in 2013. Of course, this “trouble” actually paid off for Galek and her company in a big way.
Galek went right to the heart of LinkedIn’s Facebookification when she created a post that asked “Is this appropriate for LinkedIn?” The post included a picture of Miss Universe contender, Natalie Roser, wearing swimwear from one of Biki Luxe’s competitors. The full story was covered in Forbes by Cheryl Conner earlier this year.
Galek ran afoul of LinkedIn and received backlash for the post. It received more than 50,000 views and was pulled by LinkedIn along with Galek’s profile picture being deleted (she is a model herself and LinkedIn apparently confused her profile picture with that of Roser). She had to fight to get full access of her account back, but was rewarded for her effort. She received a “follow” button on her profile (reserved for only the highest influencers), a reported huge increase in customers and revenue, and accepted an offer to be a regular contributor for Inc. Magazine.
Social business psychologist and LinkedIn thought leader, JD Gershbein, called the marketing campaign, “a completely appropriate piece of marketing communication that has served her well and resulted in a ton of new business.” Lesson learned. A marketing campaign that stands a chance at isolating your business could potentially lead to even more business.
Controversial Marketing As The Necessary Evil
“Do you have itchy skin,” the television commercial asks as the viewer begins to itch. “Are your hands dry and cracked,” the commercial continues while the viewer’s hands dry up like clockwork. Now, getting the viewer to buy the product is as easy as McDonald’s getting a starving person to buy a hamburger.
One of the industries facing the most scrutiny related to the marketing of products is the pharmaceutical industry. In 1983, the first television ad for a prescription drug aired. It was for the drug Rufen which is a common ingredient in Ibuprofen. Despite the ad not making any specific claim about the pain reliever, the federal government ordered the ad pulled within 48 hours of it first airing. The industry has been dealing with the “side effects” ever since.
There are now so many rules and regulations surrounding the marketing of pharmaceuticals that simply creating a campaign to market a product can be a controversy in itself. And, for good reason.
All pharmaceutical companies must follow stringent marketing guidelines as some of the industry have not played fair. A good example is Abbott Laboratories who agreed to pay $1.6 billion to the federal and state governments for illegally marketing its anti-seizure drug, Depakote. According to reports, Abbot illegally marketed the drug for schizophrenia and agitated dementia even though only being approved for seizure disorder treatment.
Abbot is only one example of many. There is a long list of complaints against drug companies for illegally marketing pharmaceuticals. This is why you now see 30 second drug commercials that talk 5 seconds about the drug and use the other 25 seconds for disclaimers.
Sometimes marketing a certain product or service is naturally controversial due to the nature of the product or service itself. But, what happens when it is your opinion on a controversial topic that matters to the consumer?
Brands Using Controversial Issues Outside Their Niche
As with Galek, being a little controversial can sometimes help your brand. But, Galek’s message is all about her business. She sells swimwear so naturally she is going to discuss swimwear in her marketing. Some companies venture outside of their business niche to dip their toes into controversial issues. As discussed in Forbes in 2015, this can either hurt or help your business.
The information in Forbes was compiled by Data Freaks and detailed why it could be a benefit for businesses to jump into issues that align with their customers, even when those issues may be controversial.
“Younger age groups are most likely to engage in corporate supportive behaviors when beliefs are aligned and senior age groups are most likely to engage in corporate hindering behaviors when beliefs are not aligned. Those in the middle-aged groups engage in both behaviors, but to a lesser extent overall.”
During this election season, this is more obvious as you see brands aligning themselves with political candidates that most likely support their customers’ views. So what are these controversial issues?
“In addition to the debate about marriage, other social-political issues such as gun control and healthcare reform are finding their way into corporate culture and rhetoric,” writes Data Freaks. “The fast-casual restaurant, Chipotle, asks its customers not to carry firearms into its restaurants. Whole Foods has openly opposed the Obama Administration’s recent healthcare reform. And Hobby Lobby famously brought their issue before the US Supreme Court, arguing that the Affordable Care Act violated their religious freedom by requiring that the company provide coverage of contraceptives. The list goes on.”
Is Using Controversy For Marketing Worth It?
Earlier this year I talked about the pros and cons of controversial marketing.
“It’s difficult to use shock marketing without offending at least a portion of your audience. Some entities have been successful in finding the happy medium between being intriguing and being plain offensive, but for most, it is a struggle. America’s diversity makes it hard to implement controversial marketing techniques without being shot down by one group of people or another. Thus, most companies or people who shock their audience understand and accept that they can’t be everyone’s friends; the profit benefits outweigh the enemies made.”
Brands can benefit greatly from what is often referred to as “shock marketing.” Keep in mind that even with the benefit, you will have some negativity. You may gain new customers, but you will lose some old customers too.
As I stated back in January, you need to predict the public’s reactions from all angles BEFORE you implement your campaign. It is better to prepare for what will happen than try to deal with it after it blows up.
On a positive note, a well-placed marketing campaign that shocks people will set you apart from the competition and get your name known. However, it can also be similar to playing with fireworks without taking proper safety precautions.
Final Word On Controversial Marketing
Using controversy in marketing campaigns is something that is becoming more and more acceptable by brands. If done correctly, it can be a great way to get your brand noticed. If it backfires, it can do more harm than good to your brand. Be wise about any type of controversial campaign you run. You need to predict all possible reactions to the campaign before introducing it so you can determine if it is worth the time and money you are spending.
What are your favorite controversial marketing examples?
