All articles tagged with #marketing controversy
Starbucks Korea will close stores early to conduct mandatory history training for all employees following a marketing controversy that drew apologies from Shinsegae Group chairman Chung Yong-jin; Shinsegae owns a majority stake in Starbucks Korea, signaling a broad remediation effort by the company.
Starbucks Korea fired its CEO after a tank-themed tumbler promo timed to Democratisation Movement Day drew backlash for echoing the 1980s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. The campaign was withdrawn, leaders apologized, and Starbucks Global said a thorough internal investigation and stronger controls would follow; Shinsegae Group also apologized as the stock moved lower, underscoring questions about marketing sensitivity and corporate accountability.
In a Morning Checkpoint recap, American McGee explains a big rift with EA Marketing over how Alice: Madness Returns should be pitched. The dev says marketing wanted a harder, sexier game, he resisted, and famously pasted dildos onto the head of a giant snail and emailed it to the team as a counter-proposal. He credits unusual financing terms that kept creative control, even as EA’s pressure persisted. The roundup also notes Resident Evil Requiem selling 7 million copies, plus other industry updates like Sony’s PS5-to-PC strategy discussions and general gaming news.
Fans of God of War: Sons of Sparta on PS5 are upset that the two-player local co-op is unlocked only after completing the main campaign. Some demand refunds and accuse false advertising, though the developer says the mode is unlockable after solo play and the store listing notes 1-2 players. The debate touches on marketing clarity versus retro-style unlockables in modern releases.
American Eagle's sales fell slightly by 1% in the second quarter, despite a boost in brand awareness from its controversial ad featuring Sydney Sweeney, which critics accused of promoting white beauty standards. The campaign increased demand for Sweeney's jeans and generated buzz, but its full impact on sales remains uncertain. The company plans to continue featuring Sweeney in future marketing efforts amid overall mixed financial results and ongoing celebrity collaborations.
Nothing used professional stock photos instead of actual device-captured images on its Phone (3) in-store demo units, leading to controversy and questions about quality control, marking the second camera-related issue for the brand this year.
The First Descendant faced backlash over TikTok ads featuring poorly made AI-generated endorsements of the game, with Nexon blaming TikTok's verification process and not clarifying how such fraudulent content was approved, raising concerns about the company's marketing practices.
Apple has removed its latest ad, 'The Parent Presentation,' just a day after posting it, marking the fourth ad removal in over a year, amid questions about its target audience and content, following a series of other controversial or problematic ads.
Comedian Shane Gillis will partner with Bud Light following a decline in sales after a controversial partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney. Bud Light's marketing VP, Alissa Heinerscheid, emphasized inclusivity, but has since been fired. Gillis, who was fired from "Saturday Night Live" due to resurfaced racist jokes, discussed the Bud Light controversy on the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, acknowledging the challenge of overcoming the brand's tarnished image.
Former Anheuser-Busch executive Anson Frericks has warned that The Walt Disney Co. is making a mistake similar to Bud Light's by partnering with a gender-fluid social media influencer to promote women's clothes. Frericks argues that Disney's involvement in controversial political issues unrelated to its mission statement is detrimental to the company's success. This comes after Disney faced backlash for injecting LGBTQ+ elements into its programming and engaging in a contentious battle over Florida's Parental Rights in Education bill. Disney's recent earnings report showed mixed results, including a decrease in Disney+ subscribers and a slowdown in attendance at domestic parks.
Disney is facing backlash and a potential boycott after partnering with gender-fluid TikToker Seann Altman to promote girls' clothing. Altman, who sometimes dresses as a woman but uses he/him pronouns, did a sponsored post for the Disney Style TikTok account, showcasing a Minnie Mouse-inspired look. Many parents expressed anger and vowed to stop supporting Disney, criticizing the company for using an adult male to market children's clothes and accusing them of indoctrinating children. The calls for a boycott are being compared to the Bud Light controversy earlier this year, which resulted in a significant market value loss for the brand. Disney's partnership with Altman comes amidst declining sales and a rare large loss for the company, as well as a planned price hike for its ad-free Disney+ subscription.
Bud Light, once the best-selling beer in the United States, is struggling to win back customers after a boycott sparked by a transgender influencer's promotion. Sales of Bud Light have plummeted, with volumes down 29% nationally compared to the previous year. The decline in sales has led to a drop in Anheuser-Busch's stock price and concerns among beer distributors that the slump may be the new normal. Retailers are offering steep discounts on Bud Light, with some cases priced lower than water. The company is attempting to recover by launching ad campaigns and buying back or swapping out cases of Bud Light.
Bud Light sales have dropped by 21% in the week ended April 22, following a marketing tie-up with transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. Beer volumes have also dropped by 26%, indicating that Bud Light's core customers are ditching the brand. Bud Light remains the bestselling beer in the US, but the sales drop has left its sales year to date down by 8%, threatening its leading position. Unless parent company Anheuser-Busch turns things around, Bud Light is in serious trouble this year, according to experts.