Explainer-in-brief: Tampax joins the losers of social media PR
Tampax is facing a boycott after a Twitter post that was branded as blatant misogyny and accused of sexualising periods. The company is not the first one that has tried to be funny or to leverage social media and completely failed.
American fashion brand Kenneth Cole attributed the “uproar in #Cairo” during the Egypt revolution to the fact that their new spring collection was out. Brands like Greggs and Pizza Express were criticised for sending their condolences to the Royal Family and paying tribute to the Queen on social media. If you dig online, there are many worse examples. Some are so bad we don’t want to print them.
At times, brands can be fun on social media. Sassy answers to consumer complaints often get hundreds of retweets. Fast food restaurant Wendy’s has mastered this art, and keeps users engaged through its battle with competitor McDonald’s.
But most of the time, it’s easier to fail than succeed. Perhaps brands should think twice before they tweet.