Last night I was reading an article on Yahoo Finance titled 10 Promotional Stunts that Horribly Backfired (via Minyanville). The title itself is clear concise and merely answers the companies named in the article’s proverbial “What can go wrong?” questions. As a PR person, it’s part of my nature   for the worst and think for the best. I also wonder if my flack counterpart in these situations were thinking the same, or rather looking the any publicity is good publicity way.

While the list speaks for itself, there are really only two that really stand out and strike a cord with me. Partly because I vividly remember both incidents. The first was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, while the movie was hyped by Comedy Central their gag caused quite a stir, especially in Boston. Looking at this clip, what could go wrong in a post 9-11 world?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yigQGKaf2A]

Here’s a link to the subsequent press conference. While I anticipated the movie and thought that it was hilarious. The prank was easy to see if you knew the show and the cast of characters, however in a city where a plane from that fateful day left, the promo opportunity was a complete fail.

The second occurrence was SanDisk’s attempt to label iPod users as mindless sheep. I think when attacking a trend to gain popularity, a product with a passionate fan base (see: Apple), giving them free publicity will only lead to a negative result.

While those two are ones that I easily identify with, the article also offers insight into bad promotion poster company LifeLock:

LifeLock CEO Tempts Fate

The personal fraud protection company LifeLock guarantees the security of your identity under their employ. So much so that, in a nationwide ad, CEO Todd Davis posts his personal social security number on the side of a van — daring identity thieves to give it a shot.

Turns out, they did. No fewer than 25 motivated thieves stole Davis’ social security number — with one successfully receiving a $500 loan. LifeLock maintains its diligence, claiming that for a nationwide ad, only one case of stolen identity isn’t too bad. It doesn’t advise posting your mom’s maiden name on your car, however..

Click here for the full article

I wonder how his PR guy sleeps at night. Are there any others that you think should have made the list? or have you had a publicity stunt that worked?

Last night I was reading an article on Yahoo Finance titled 10 Promotional Stunts that Horribly Backfired (via Minyanville). The title itself is clear concise and merely answers the companies named in the article’s proverbial “What can go wrong?” questions. As a PR person, it’s part of my nature   for the worst and think for the best. I also wonder if my flack counterpart in these situations were thinking the same, or rather looking the any publicity is good publicity way.

While the list speaks for itself, there are really only two that really stand out and strike a cord with me. Partly because I vividly remember both incidents. The first was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, while the movie was hyped by Comedy Central their gag caused quite a stir, especially in Boston. Looking at this clip, what could go wrong in a post 9-11 world?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yigQGKaf2A]

Here’s a link to the subsequent press conference. While I anticipated the movie and thought that it was hilarious. The prank was easy to see if you knew the show and the cast of characters, however in a city where a plane from that fateful day left, the promo opportunity was a complete fail.

The second occurrence was SanDisk’s attempt to label iPod users as mindless sheep. I think when attacking a trend to gain popularity, a product with a passionate fan base (see: Apple), giving them free publicity will only lead to a negative result.

While those two are ones that I easily identify with, the article also offers insight into bad promotion poster company LifeLock:

LifeLock CEO Tempts Fate

The personal fraud protection company LifeLock guarantees the security of your identity under their employ. So much so that, in a nationwide ad, CEO Todd Davis posts his personal social security number on the side of a van — daring identity thieves to give it a shot.

Turns out, they did. No fewer than 25 motivated thieves stole Davis’ social security number — with one successfully receiving a $500 loan. LifeLock maintains its diligence, claiming that for a nationwide ad, only one case of stolen identity isn’t too bad. It doesn’t advise posting your mom’s maiden name on your car, however..

Click here for the full article

I wonder how his PR guy sleeps at night. Are there any others that you think should have made the list? or have you had a publicity stunt that worked?

Last night I was reading an article on Yahoo Finance titled 10 Promotional Stunts that Horribly Backfired (via Minyanville). The title itself is clear concise and merely answers the companies named in the article’s proverbial “What can go wrong?” questions. As a PR person, it’s part of my nature   for the worst and think for the best. I also wonder if my flack counterpart in these situations were thinking the same, or rather looking the any publicity is good publicity way.

While the list speaks for itself, there are really only two that really stand out and strike a cord with me. Partly because I vividly remember both incidents. The first was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, while the movie was hyped by Comedy Central their gag caused quite a stir, especially in Boston. Looking at this clip, what could go wrong in a post 9-11 world?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yigQGKaf2A]

Here’s a link to the subsequent press conference. While I anticipated the movie and thought that it was hilarious. The prank was easy to see if you knew the show and the cast of characters, however in a city where a plane from that fateful day left, the promo opportunity was a complete fail.

The second occurrence was SanDisk’s attempt to label iPod users as mindless sheep. I think when attacking a trend to gain popularity, a product with a passionate fan base (see: Apple), giving them free publicity will only lead to a negative result.

While those two are ones that I easily identify with, the article also offers insight into bad promotion poster company LifeLock:

LifeLock CEO Tempts Fate

The personal fraud protection company LifeLock guarantees the security of your identity under their employ. So much so that, in a nationwide ad, CEO Todd Davis posts his personal social security number on the side of a van — daring identity thieves to give it a shot.

Turns out, they did. No fewer than 25 motivated thieves stole Davis’ social security number — with one successfully receiving a $500 loan. LifeLock maintains its diligence, claiming that for a nationwide ad, only one case of stolen identity isn’t too bad. It doesn’t advise posting your mom’s maiden name on your car, however..

Click here for the full article

I wonder how his PR guy sleeps at night. Are there any others that you think should have made the list? or have you had a publicity stunt that worked?

Last night I was reading an article on Yahoo Finance titled 10 Promotional Stunts that Horribly Backfired (via Minyanville). The title itself is clear concise and merely answers the companies named in the article’s proverbial “What can go wrong?” questions. As a PR person, it’s part of my nature   for the worst and think for the best. I also wonder if my flack counterpart in these situations were thinking the same, or rather looking the any publicity is good publicity way.

While the list speaks for itself, there are really only two that really stand out and strike a cord with me. Partly because I vividly remember both incidents. The first was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie, while the movie was hyped by Comedy Central their gag caused quite a stir, especially in Boston. Looking at this clip, what could go wrong in a post 9-11 world?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yigQGKaf2A]

Here’s a link to the subsequent press conference. While I anticipated the movie and thought that it was hilarious. The prank was easy to see if you knew the show and the cast of characters, however in a city where a plane from that fateful day left, the promo opportunity was a complete fail.

The second occurrence was SanDisk’s attempt to label iPod users as mindless sheep. I think when attacking a trend to gain popularity, a product with a passionate fan base (see: Apple), giving them free publicity will only lead to a negative result.

While those two are ones that I easily identify with, the article also offers insight into bad promotion poster company LifeLock:

LifeLock CEO Tempts Fate

The personal fraud protection company LifeLock guarantees the security of your identity under their employ. So much so that, in a nationwide ad, CEO Todd Davis posts his personal social security number on the side of a van — daring identity thieves to give it a shot.

Turns out, they did. No fewer than 25 motivated thieves stole Davis’ social security number — with one successfully receiving a $500 loan. LifeLock maintains its diligence, claiming that for a nationwide ad, only one case of stolen identity isn’t too bad. It doesn’t advise posting your mom’s maiden name on your car, however..

Click here for the full article

I wonder how his PR guy sleeps at night. Are there any others that you think should have made the list? or have you had a publicity stunt that worked?