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10 Public Relations Fails

Public relations is a great tool to elevate a brand or executive – however there are also many instances of PR campaigns or stunts going wrong.

Here are 10 infamous PR campaigns that went terribly wrong:

Pepsi's "Live for Now" Ad (2017): Featuring Kendall Jenner, this ad was criticized for trivializing serious social justice movements. It was quickly pulled after backlash for being tone-deaf and exploitative.
United Airlines' Passenger Removal (2017): The incident where a passenger was forcibly removed from a flight, combined with United's initial response, led to widespread criticism and a PR nightmare.
H&M’s “Coolest Monkey” Sweatshirt (2018): An ad featuring a black child in a sweatshirt with the slogan "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" was widely condemned as racist, leading to protests and damage to the brand's reputation.
Gillette’s “The Best Men Can Be” (2019): Intended to address toxic masculinity, the ad faced backlash from those who felt it was too preachy and alienated its core audience, sparking heated debates.
Sony’s “White Chicks” PlayStation Ad (2006): An ad campaign that used white models in a way that was perceived as culturally insensitive and inappropriate, leading to criticism and a retraction.
BP’s “Beyond Petroleum” (2000s): BP’s rebranding as “Beyond Petroleum” was criticized as greenwashing, as their environmental practices did not align with the eco-friendly image they were trying to project.
Gap’s Logo Redesign (2010): Gap’s attempt to update its iconic logo was met with such strong negative feedback that they reverted to the old design within a week, highlighting how out of touch the decision-makers were with their customer base.
Dove’s “Body Wash” Ad (2017): Dove faced backlash when an ad showed a black woman transforming into a white woman after using their body wash, which many found racially insensitive and problematic.
Nestlé’s Water Bottling in Flint, Michigan (2016-2020): While Flint was dealing with a water crisis, Nestlé’s continued water extraction was seen as exploitative, and the company faced significant public backlash.
Amazon’s “Prime Day” Server Outage (2018): During a major sales event, Amazon’s website crashed, leading to frustration among customers and criticism over the company’s preparedness and customer service.

These campaigns often failed due to poor timing, misjudged messaging, or lack of sensitivity to social issues, showing how crucial it is for brands to align their PR strategies with public sentiment and values.

Whether you are new to PR or a career veteran, examining your intended audience and what message will resonate with them can mean the difference between a successful stunt, and a viral catastrophe.