Guest post by Katrina Esco
Sometimes, a really great campaign gets noticed for the right reasons (Starbucks’ “Pass the Cheer” campaign comes to mind.)
Other times, despite our best intentions, we really step in it.
Summer’s Eve has been in the hot seat for its talking vagina commercial series. The set of three commercials originally showed:
- a white woman who likes to use the product after the gym and says something about her BFFs,
- a Hispanic woman who has an accent and cries, “Ay-yi-yi,” and
- a black woman who changes her hairstyle several times and later hits up the club.
Also, there’s the McDonald’s mango pineapple smoothie commercial, in which a young black man (who is not a known rapper or celebrity) performs for a crowd that seems disproportionately enthusiastic about a frozen beverage.
It goes without saying that America has a history of racial tensions rooted in inequity, which makes crafting messages a touchy matter. This is especially true when we’re tasked with speaking to a wide audience that includes groups who aren’t historically considered mainstream.
That’s how we get we get racially-segmented campaigns, rather than ones segmented by topic, language, price-point, product purpose or other factors that aren’t based on race.
The surprising part is that marketers are confused as to why campaigns like this rub audiences the wrong way.
Stacie Barnett (an executive for the firm who created the Summer’s Eve campaign) told Adweek.com, “Stereotyping or being offensive was not our intention in any way, shape, or form.”
Dear Stacie: We Know.
So how do you stay true to your intentions of being inclusive and avoid offending your audiences?
As PR and marketing professionals, it’s our job to know that a well-crafted message does two things: gets the attention of our intended audience, and persuades our audience to take an action (buy, click, or share something).
Consider these tips for crafting your message:
1. Check your biases.
We all have them. Be careful that you’re not imposing an identity on an audience or making assumptions based on limited knowledge. (Also known as stereotyping and casting sweeping generalizations. But you knew that already.)
2. Speak English if your audience speaks English.
Of course we want to relate to our audiences. Adhere to the basic standards for language and let your content rule.
So if you’re talking to moms, talk about mom-related stuff. It’s the content that matters.
Otherwise we end up doing that whole “you go girl” thing. Yeah. It was an awkward time for everyone. Let’s not revisit it. (This goes for trending topics on Twitter too.)
3. Go to your audience.
Find your audiences where they are, and join the conversation. If language or context is an issue, get ambassadors. Recruit members of the community to help share your message. What’s PR without third-party endorsement anyway?
4. Know what’s funny.
For example, McNugget love songs are funny because they’re intended to be funny. Two people singing passionate love songs about chicken nuggets in an intentionally contrived setting is laughable in a good way.
The Mc Café rapper and the talking vaginas aren’t funny because they’re meant to be relatable. But they’re not, which makes the concept behind them offensive. (Oh, the irony.)
5. Find the strongest common factor and appeal to it.
All people relate to one another on some level – who doesn’t want to remove stains easily, save time, look great, get free stuff, have expensive stuff, find cheap stuff, find quick fixes, get low car insurance, lower gas prices, have clean hair, save money, get a great job, increase ROI?
Of course we can’t please everyone. But we can be diligent and effective communication professionals to reach a broad audience in a way that shows respect and consideration.
The only social media tool for that is a keen sense of awareness.
Image: Ed Schipul via Flickr, CC 2.0
Katrina M. Esco is a creative services project manager with Schipul – The Web Marketing Co., where she creates content for websites and initiates traditional and online PR campaigns. Catch her writing for the Schipul blog or KatrinaME.com. And follow her on Twitter.
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When I was reading your post, I couldn’t help but remember the midnight 4th of July celebration we had a few years ago in Gatlinburg, TN (which was a really friendly place and which I loved). They had this incredible parade, et al, all at midnight. We were sitting up on the balcony of one of the restaurant’s overlooking the parade route, and when the Red Hat Society float (and ladies) came out, I was so excited that I yelled, “You Go, Girls!”
I think people got that I was really into it, because they didn’t look at me all weird, but instead cracked up that this clearly not-born-in-America woman was so excited about a group of li’l old ladies in their red hats. So it was definitely a case of laughing “with” me instead of “at” me (or, worse, cold-shouldering me).
@elainewkrause Well, I have to thank you for bringing @KatrinaME and me together in the first place. Houston, be warned: I’m going to steal her away just as soon as I can.
@bdorman264@katriname That’s one of my husband’s favorite sayings… and usually when I think he’s laughing “at” me instead of “with” me, LOL!
@bdorman264 Clearly you didn’t read @Davina Kristi Brewer ‘s post about the talking vajayjay!
@bdorman264 Thanks! And thanks for your feedback. It helps to know what other people are feeling/thinking about this.
@katriname Remember: it’s only funny when you’re laughing with me instead of laughing at me. This says it best ma’am; good post.
@bdorman264 You’re right: we do try to be too politically correct at times. I’m suggesting we try being clever. I definitely recommend sticking to your story…especially the part where you mention not having walked in the shoes of the offended.
I’m more likely to pee my panties laughing at a SUCCESSFUL attempt at a humorous stereotype than I am to get my panties in a wad about a missed one.
Did you watch that McNugget Love Song clip in the post? It’s hilarious and no one missed that it’s also stereotypical. Black people singing R&B and eating chicken ??? Dude.That could’ve gone horribly wrong. But it didn’t. It’s not offensive because someone considered the context: a man trying to convince his wife to share her McNuggets with him by asking her in a song.
Context is not a man rapping about a frozen fruit beverage BECAUSE he’s black. That’s a heck of an assumption about how a young black man might relate to the product. Yet it’s the type of approach to inclusion that happens often. As long as we’re aware of it, we can recognize when we’re doing it then take steps to correct it.
Remember: it’s only funny when you’re laughing with me instead of laughing at me.
Whoa, a talking vajayjay; did I miss that? I’m sure that would have caught my attention. I still wouldn’t have bought the product, but if I ever needed it I’m sure it would have been my brand………..
Ok, this is coming from a middle class, pasty white guy so until I walk a mile in the shoes of the offended maybe I better keep my comments to myself. However, I think we try to be too politically correct at times. Where is the sense of humor? If it promotes division and racism, then shame on them. If it is a humorous attempt at a stereotype then don’t get your panties in a wad.
Regardless of how hard we try to elevate everything to equality, the more we will see it is futile. We are all different but at the end of the day we are all humans. Nobody is better than anyone else; dead is still dead and we are all going to go out the same way.
Common decency should always be practiced, just don’t lose the sense of humor. We already have too much bad stuff going on these days.
That’s my story today and I’m sticking with it.
@elainewkrause Thanks, Elaine!
You GO girl! … Oops, I wasn’t supposed to say that. ;-) Still, great post. Thanks @Katriname! And thanks to @Shonali, obviously, for being so generous (and savvy) in sharing this little plot of prime social media real estate.
@HowieSPM Howie, I really like your points about what advertising can do and I agree with you about “the bubble.”
Often it’s awkward and unfamiliar to venture outside of the bubble, but it takes doing that to grow…or at the very least, get some fresh air!
Thanks for reading and sharing the post. ~KME
I’ll check it out, thanks.
Thanks again Katrina Esco for writing this! Davina, it might strike a chord with you. :p
Thanks for sharing @notahickie !
@katriname Thank YOU. I think you said exactly what should have been said by PR pros about these issues so well.
@katriname Thank YOU. I think you said exactly what should have been said by PR pros about these issues so well.
Thank you @deliberateink and @ShakirahDawud!
Thank you @deliberateink and @ShakirahDawud!
@happykatie @schipul Yes, it’s great. I’ve gotta thank @ewkrause for connecting me with all of you. @katriname
@shonali Thank you!
@happykatie :) ty!
This is a great post Katrina. Marketing is tricky. There is a reason over 50% of Advertising Spend is wasted. Well more than one reason. The Beancast Marketing Podcast addressed this topic on Monday where one of the panelists was discussing branded content and how often when relating to minorities instead of playing to the idea of ‘what they are’ gearing to ‘what they aspire to’ works best.
Marketers are often in bubbles too and think they relate to the target audience more than they actually often do. And Marketers have major biases often economically based. Ask a Social Media talking head, or Social Media Agency or Mashable where the marketing budget should be focused they will say Social Media of course! Ask someone who does TV commercials it will be TV! This relates to point 1 and point 3. Message and Media Channel is very important.
And lastly I also feel my industry thinks they are more influential on people than they really are. Advertising can show product awareness. It can help separate you from a competitor. It can give the brand some personality. But if your product doesn’t stand up after the first try no amount of gimmicks or advertising can fix things. But if you offend with poor taste that can hurt your image and never even get that first try out of your product.