June was a month of several significant social media PR blunders. Brands did not always respond appropriately to crises.
Well-prepared crisis communication and an appropriate social media strategy are essential for companies in building their image. Over the past month, Audi and the cosmetics brand Avon, among others, learned this the hard way. June, alongside further changes and innovations in social media, also brought several image crises.
– June began with a PR crisis for Audi. On its Facebook profile, the brand posted photos of one of its car models in various characteristic locations in Warsaw, including near the Palace of Culture and the Koszyki Hall. One of the photos showed the car in front of the Warsaw Uprising Monument. This outraged internet users, who in their comments reproached the brand, saying it showed a lack of respect for Polish history and the insurgents – Małgorzata Baran, editor of PRoto.pl, told the Newseria Biznes news agency.
Insurgents behind the wheel of an Audi?
The Audi A5 advertisement in front of the monument dedicated to the heroes of the Warsaw Uprising (especially in a place where parking is prohibited) resonated widely in both traditional and social media. Internet users pointed out the German company's references to World War II and reminded everyone that in the past it used forced laborers to produce armaments for the Third Reich.
The brand apologized a few hours later for an "obvious mistake" and for "hurting the feelings of many people," and the photo disappeared from its profile. The company also explained that the unfortunate photo was not part of a marketing campaign – it was taken by an independent photographer and published on social media without proper verification by Audi. The brand also announced that it would draw consequences for those responsible for the blunder and make changes in the management of its social media profiles.
Don't neglect your employment policy
Just over a week later, the cosmetics brand Avon had to face a bigger crisis, in which case the famous saying that "social media crises erupt on weekends" proved true.
– A post appeared on Facebook by a woman who described the story of her dismissal after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She wrote that she received no support from Avon Polska and was fired under a different pretext. Avon stated that this situation was untrue, but the woman's post spread widely online and was shared thousands of times. Internet users posted negative opinions on the company's profile, demanded explanations, and there were also posts from women who had experienced a similar situation – says Małgorzata Baran.
Avon has for years run the famous "Pink Ribbon" social campaign to fight breast cancer, through which it promotes diagnostics and funds research. The brand's PR crisis was complicated by the fact that the post by the dismissed employee appeared on Facebook on the exact same day that Avon was organizing an event with celebrities on the Vistula boulevards under the slogan "Pink Ribbon Day. Together Against Breast Cancer."
Avon did not manage to react quickly. To negative comments on social media and calls for a consumer boycott, the brand responded with the formula: "We are unable to address such allegations without clarifying the matter. We assure you that this will not go without our official comment." Only later did the company issue a statement and attempt to repair its image.
– The brand eventually contacted the woman and offered her a job. It created a special position for her as a plenipotentiary for helping chronically ill employees – says Małgorzata Baran.
Who gives and takes away...
The editor of PRoto.pl also draws attention to the recent image problems of the Media Expert chain, which prepared a promotion that was incomprehensible to customers, resulting in a wave of criticism.
– On the occasion of the end of the school year, the Media Expert chain prepared a promotion for customers, granting discounts for good grades on a child's school report card. It turned out that the terms of this promotion were not clearly presented, and customers felt misled – says Małgorzata Baran.
Mazda's gesture, on the other hand, met with a very positive reception on social media. The automotive brand decided to help a doctor who wrote on Facebook that his car had been stolen, the car he used to drive to his patients every day. In a comment to that post, Mazda offered help in the form of providing a car from one of its dealers.
– Internet users also reacted very positively to the actions of the Bosch brand, which decided to support a cat shelter. A post appeared on the fanpage of the Koci Azyl shelter saying that the foundation needed help because their washing machine had broken down. Ordinary users offered help, but in the comments there was also a post from Bosch, which offered to donate a washing machine and a vacuum cleaner to the foundation, and also offered the help of its employees as part of volunteering. This reaction from the brand sparked very positive comments from internet users, who praised it for its good deed. They were happy that they use its equipment or declared that they would buy Bosch equipment in the future – says Małgorzata Baran.
