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The 9 Biggest Marketing Mistakes Ever

February 20, 2017 | Hannah Abrams

There’s nothing worse than spending countless hours brainstorming a new marketing campaign only to have it flop. But thankfully, you probably never had a marketing disaster as big as these. Recently, Reddit users put together a list of the worst marketing mistakes of all time, and we’re sharing some of the top ones with you. We already showed you some of the worst marketing typos, now enjoy these terrible marketing mistakes.

1. EA’s Godfather II Campaign

(Image via Engadget)

(Image via Engadget)

In celebration of the release of EA’s The Godfather II, the gaming company sent fans pairs of brass knuckles. The only problem is brass knuckles are illegal in most states.

2. Lipton Tea’s Coupon Promo

(Image via Amazon)

(Image via Amazon)

In an effort to get more prospective customers, Lipton Tea launched a marketing campaign which unintentionally gave customers an endless loop of free tea. Because every package of tea included a coupon for a free pack of tea, the company quickly learned they were giving away too much tea.

3. Vanderbilt’s New Slogan

(Image via The Guardian)

(Image via The Guardian)

It’s always great to release a new inspiring slogan for your team. However, it’s best to make sure there’s no potential for inappropriate hidden meanings first. Vanderbilt football learned this lesson the hard way with its “We Don’t Need Your Permission” tagline.

4. KFC’s Incorrect Translation

(Image via International Marketing Communications)

(Image via International Marketing Communications)

Kentucky Fried Chicken made a mistake during its translation process in a big way. When the company opened its stores in China, it accidentally translated “Finger Lickin’ Good” to “Eat Your Fingers Off.”

5. M&M’s Product Placement Refusal

(Image via Hubspot)

(Image via Hubspot)

The famous movie E.T. apparently asked M&M’s to give permission for the movie to use the candy during filming. The company refused and the movie went on to use went on to use Reese’s Pieces, a then brand-new candy from Hershey’s, for the shoot. Reese’s popularity grew wildly, and M&M’s was left regretting its mistake.

6. Urban Outfitters Controversial Shirts

(Image via Huffington Post)

(Image via Huffington Post)

Urban Outfitters is no stranger to controversy, but it’s unclear what on earth it was thinking with this “blood-stained” Kent State University sweatshirt.

7. Dr. Pepper’s Divisive Slogan

(Image via ABC News)

(Image via ABC News)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how Dr. Pepper’s marketing campaign here did not go over too well with the general population.

8. Los Angeles Chargers New Logo

(Image via Sports Illustrated)

(Image via Sports Illustrated)

It was upsetting enough that the Chargers unexpectedly relocated from San Diego to Los Angeles. But to add insult to injury, the team used an unoriginal logo for its rebranding, and social media was buzzing with criticism. Back to the drawing board for the Chargers.

9. Budweiser’s New Campaign

(Image via Jezebel)

(Image via Jezebel)

Similarly to Vanderbilt, Budweiser did not vet its new slogan, “The perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night.” No surprise it was met with a ton of backlash.

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