Marketing in Pop Culture
Brands are reconsidering association with Clippers
Published May 14, 2014
It should go without saying, but it’s a good idea for prominent owners of sports teams to watch what they say, or the consequences could include loss of important corporate sponsorships and advertising partners. However, they do not always take such care, and sometimes make comments that damage a brand. The owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, allegedly made racist comments that … Read more »
When marketing stunts go wrong
Published April 16, 2014
Sometimes when a story is trending, savvy marketers find a way to ride the trend as part of a campaign. When executed skillfully, the result can draw a lot of attention. If an ad strikes a chord with an audience, it can spawn parodies and imitators, resulting in a flurry of posts and even YouTube videos. However, even though these types of campaigns may be successful, they may also draw criticism. Lately, … Read more »
Reporter suddenly quits, on air
Published March 19, 2014
A sudden decision by a news anchor that seems to have gained attention brings a curious question to different companies: what to do when you lose an important part of your team in a very public way? For those who haven’t been caught up to speed, American anchor Liz Wahl has caught the attention of global media for her decision to resign from the American branch of the Russian news source RT. During … Read more »
Hoverboard hoax; a success or waste of time?
Published March 14, 2014
In recent years, the 1980’s time travel adventure/comedy film series Back to the Future has gone from being just a fondly remembered trilogy to a widely recognized classic of American popular cinema. It’s not surprising that this would lead to a growth in advertising drawing on the nostalgia of fans and the love of the “geek community.” But Slate writer Will Oremus was disappointed … Read more »
Travolta Oscar mistake goes viral
Published March 13, 2014
Marketing tools allow brands to take advantage of current developments in lightning-fast ways, including mistakes. And it doesn’t even have to be your mistake for you to profit off of the resulting trends. One example is the instantly infamous mispronunciation made by actor John Travolta while introducing a musical number at the recent Academy Awards ceremony. When Travolta, surrounded by bright … Read more »