Six biggest PR fails, from ‘Novichok’ vodka to Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad

It seems that brands are still missing the mark

You would think that in today’s politically correct society, where one wrong move can make you the subject of a controversy storm on social media, marketers would approach campaigns with hyper-vigilance, taking extra precautions to ensure that nothing they send out could be deemed in any way offensive.

Evidently, that is not always the case, as proven this week when a gin distillery released a limited edition vodka product named ‘Novichok’ just three days after the death of Dawn Sturgess, who was exposed to the nerve agent in Wiltshire.

Bristol Dry Gin launched the product on 7 July, promoting it on Facebook one week after the mother-of-three had been rushed to hospital as a result of being poisoned by the substance.

The brand has since apologised, saying the release of its super-strength vodka “may have lacked sensitivity”.

However, the murky matter of insensitive PR campaigns extends far beyond one alcohol company.

From Kendall Jenner “saving the world” with a single can of Pepsi to major high street retailers caught up in racism rows, swot up on the biggest PR fails to date.

1. H&M

(H&M) (H&M)

The retail giant came under fire in January after it used a black boy to model a sweatshirt with the slogan “Coolest monkey in the jungle.”

The image sparked a furore on social media, with users demanding that H&M remove the image, branding it “racist” and “unacceptable”.

The controversy prompted The Weeknd, who had fronted campaigns for the high street chain in 2017, to cut all ties with the brand.

"Woke up this morning shocked and embarrassed by this photo,” the musician wrote on Twitter shortly after news of the scandal broke online.

“I’m deeply offended and will not be working with @hm anymore".

H&M ultimately issued an apology, with a spokesperson telling The Independent at the time: “We apologise to anyone this may have offended.”

2. Pepsi

(Pepsi)

Probably the most scandalous of PR fails took place in April 2017, when Pepsi was forced to pull its controversial ad featuring Kendall Jenner at a protest.

The video depicted the model slipping out of a photoshoot to take part in a protest going on outside. The crowd erupted into cheers after Jenner handed a can of Pepsi to one of the police officers at the protest.

The advertisement was accused of trivialising important demonstrations and being insensitive towards social justice causes, such as Black Lives Matter.

The soft drinks giants ultimately removed the ad and apologised, saying in a statement, “clearly we missed the mark, and we apologise. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue.”

3. Nivea

An ad promoting one of Nivea’s moisturising lotions in 2017 was removed after social media users labelled it “racist” and “colourist”.

The TV ad featured a black woman using the product - named “Natural Fairness” alongside the tagline “visibly lightens”, with the model’s skin looking visibly lighter after application of the lotion.

The clip aired in Ghana and was dubbed “appalling” by critics, with many using the hashtag #PULLITDOWN on social media to demand its removal.

4. Snapchat

The photo-sharing app might be renowned for its quirky filters that enable users to drastically change their appearance, but Snapchat sparked outcry when it released one feature in 2016 that critics described as a digital version of blackface.

The filter in question was released in homage of the late Bob Marley, enabling users to make themselves look like the iconic reggae artist by adding dreadlocks, a colourful hat and brown skin onto their image.

In a statement that was circulated at the time, Snapchat responded by describing the filter as a lens that “gives people a new way to share their appreciation for Bob Marley and his music”.

5. Dove

Customers reacted with outrage at the advert that appeared to show a woman removing her black skin

The beauty brand caused a commotion in 2017 when it released an ad for one of its body washes on Facebook featuring a black woman taking off her T-shirt to reveal a white woman underneath.

The clip caused critics to accuse the brand of aligning use of their body cleansing product with a racial transformation, which inadvertently presented the former as “dirty” and the latter as “clean” within the context of the ad.

Dove swiftly issued an apology and removed the incriminating video.

6. Adidas

The athletic giants issued an apology after sending out an “insensitive email” to customers congratulating those who took part in the Boston Marathon in 2017, writing “Congrats, you survived the Boston Marathon”

Use of the word “survived” was criticised given that the email was sent just four years after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and left more than 260 injured.

“We are incredibly sorry,” a statement released by Adidas at the time read.

“Clearly, there was no thought given to the insensitive email subject line we sent Tuesday. We deeply apologize for our mistake. The Boston Marathon is one of the most inspirational sporting events in the world. Every year we’re reminded of the hope and resiliency of the running community at this event.”