 "Another Volkswagen #Fail: This time on Twitter")
This morning, readers across the country were entertained/shocked/ irritated by an innovation by Volkswagen, where a gizmo attached to an ad in the newspaper ‘vibrated’.
The campaign headline thought it would make consumers ‘shiver’ with excitement. But many made the jump to ‘vibrator’ and ‘vibration’ and sexual innuendo was begging to be included. It was.
[caption id=“attachment_451600” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Getty images[/caption]
This morning, Firstpost had written that the #Volkswagen campaign was a big #Fail .
Whether or not the campaign will sell more cars we do not know, but what we do know is that the campaign was the talk of the twitterati, most of it unfavourable.
The tone and speed of the comments couldn’t have made things easy for whoever is handling the car manufacturer’s social media presence.
Many were calling the gizmo a vibrator, and the majority, at some stage, must have been women. And then someone at the social media agency lost it.
“Women would be dumb to call it a vibrator. Or maybe they do not understand real driving experience. #PunIntended #Volkswagen #Creative” was the update by @VolkswagenIndia.
[caption id=“attachment_451587” align=“alignnone” width=“602”]
The offending tweet[/caption]
Whoa.
A brand calling women dumb - that’s Strike One.
Suggesting that women do not understand real driving experience - that’s Strike Two.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAnd doing this in complete awareness, by the use of the hashtag #PunIntended - that’s Strike Three.
And you’re out!
It wasn’t long before someone at the social media agency handling the account realized the mess they were in, and they quickly deleted the offending tweet.
Not quick enough, though. Nandita, @saffrontrail, was quicker on the draw, and did a quick Ctrl + Print Scrn, and captured the goof for posterity.
There must be vibrations at the social media agency - and a few must be shivering….
Anant Rangaswami was, until recently, the editor of Campaign India magazine, of which Anant was also the founding editor. Campaign India is now arguably India's most respected publication in the advertising and media space. Anant has over 20 years experience in media and advertising. He began in Madras, for STAR TV, moving on as Regional Manager, South for Sony’s SET and finally as Chief Manager at BCCL’s Times Television and Times FM. He then moved to advertising, rising to the post of Associate Vice President at TBWA India. Anant then made the leap into journalism, taking over as editor of what is now Campaign India's competitive publication, Impact. Anant teaches regularly and is a prolific blogger and author of Watching from the sidelines.