Publicity issues have always been on the hot seats for all types of different media avenues, online is no difference. Individuals, celebrities, and businesses’ most commonly shared problem is “being isolated and unknown”. They go about resolving this problem by creating conversation to the public through link bait, advertising and promoting the benefits of their services and products to gain their target audience. Publicity really signifies its strong influence on business branding, promotions, exposures and how to gain power even in history.
A big part of correct “online publicity” is making sure you are targeting the correct keyword terms and phrases to reach traffic and search results that will bring you conversions!
In 1984, Benetton gained recognition because of their “All That Colors of The World” campaign, which was later changed to the “United Ensign of Benetton”. The link bait was simply the “racial parity” of the advertisement as it became very controversial, and was later on addressed to a lot of other issues. Due to its wide spread controversy, Benetton attracted thousands and thousands of new onlookers and potential clients. Because of the issues surrounding the campaign, they gained great popularity that made Benetton an even bigger brand. People will always choose to focus on the spectacle, radical news, or exciting event immediately. Then you can use that attention to turn news and media into strong link bait for thousands of new readers all because some simple yet controversial matter.
Today, in a world where publicity is publicity, there are questions related to it.
Can every brand manage to stir brand awareness with bad publicity?
Is bad publicity good for brand awareness?
Does bad publicity really work?
In 1996, it has been made known that Nike mistreated employees in Vietnam. This caused some controversy on Nike’s part. Employees were allegedly forced to work by creating conversation below human conditions. Furthermore, their salaries were a pittance with and barely even raised. This resulted in multiple, front-page editorials by the New York Times, stirring a lot of drama up and teaching thousands of people about Nike. Yet instead of poor sales and a bad reputation, Nike still has the reputation that Nike sells quality products, created in third-world countries. The controversy had been creating conversation between many ordinary people, as it still has the negative involvement to the controversy itself. The Coca-cola Company in third world countries also had the same controversy. Although citizens continue to support and drink Coke, the ‘insect killer scare’ has probably left a mark on the trademark’s picture in many third world countries around the world.
Since we have observed, Benetton enthused up its controversies while Nike, along with Coke landed into controversies and were almost ruined. But how might you benefit because of a controversy? Obtain the crate for De Beers, that lucrative giant into the diamond manufacturing. In the 1990s, the De Beers features severed censure for community discussion purchasing, along with dealing into ‘blood diamonds’. Furthermore, it indirectly sustained the brutal commands they dealt through. It openly confirmed that it will cease to acquire diamonds from illegal sources. At that same point in time, De Beers organized the Kimberly Procedure Certification Scheme, to which seek toward certification of the derivation of diamonds. Through staying separated as companies and spreading out the liabilities, De Beers directed to undertake the community discussion with negative advertising. The negative advertising did not hurt them and started to be an asset when it became one of the causes of higher productivity in its time.
So what do all these signify?
Controversies can WIDELY expand a brand’s reputation and awareness, if it succeeds in inspiring positive sentiments than you are golden, if the sentiments are negative than it’ll often be positive in the long-term still.
Benetton’s trailer shocked a great quantity of citizens, but they also efficiently portrayed numerous burning matters which were at peak of people’s minds at the time. Hence, it managed to strengthen the brand’s online reputation in the process. On the other hand, the disagreements surrounding De Beers, Nike and Coca-Cola were clearly undesirable and left a sour taste. However, while Coca-Cola and Nike failed to profit in any way from these matters, De Beers administered to reinvent itself as a spotless brand, thanks to the controversies. Indeed, bad publicity is still publicity, no matter which angle you look. Although it may have created a link bait problem, the products involved may be talked about, creating conversation within a company. The community discussion might lead into better things, and may create a better online reputation.