Choose your words wisely - 5 tips to avoid a brand blunder

Have you ever been in a conversation where you’ve said something at the time that sounded right in your head but ended up in a face palm?

Now imagine that happening to the company you work for, broadcast to a large audience across multiple mediums. Once your message is out there it’s not easy to erase, and it doesn’t take long for opinions to be formed, particularly when it hits social media.

If you’re a Perth local, you may have heard about the recent West Coast Eagles ‘yellow peril’ promotion debacle. A member of the communications team made the reference twice on social media, which had intended to be in relation to the heritage jumper worn by the players during a game. What ensued was criticism across the Perth community.

The staff member was unaware of the derogatory nature of the phrase (a term used in the 1900s to describe the fear of Asian immigration). An apology was issued from the top but the entire media frenzy could have been avoided if a little bit of homework had been done prior to hitting publish.

Misleading your audience, whether intentional or not can damage your brand’s credibility – one that you’ve no doubt worked hard to maintain. An embarrassing and costly exercise you’d rather avoid!
 
Even the big brand powerhouses sometimes get it wrong:

• Nike’s flame logo offended Muslims as it was thought to resemble the word ‘Allah’
• MacDonald’s Anus Burger
• Ford’s entry into the Brazil market in 1971 with the ‘Pinto’ translated into the Brazilian slang for ‘tiny male genitals’

So, what can you do to avoid producing content that’ll have you thrown into the fire?

1. Do your homework
   Research! Identifying culturally sensitive words or slang is as easy as doing a Google search. Had the West Coast Eagles searched ‘yellow peril’ on Google they would have noticed the first search entry was the Wikipedia definition for the racial slur. And if you’re entering a different market make sure you’ve translated your messages correctly.
   
   
2. Weigh up the consequences
   If you know what you’re intending to publish has the potential to be controversial, have you considered the likely consequences? Is it worth the risk of damaging your brand’s reputation for the sake of a clever pun? If you’re out there to make a statement make sure you can back up your claims.
   
   
3. Practice good grammar
   Your message doesn’t have to be insensitive to hurt your brand. Something as simple as poor grammar can turn your audience off. So get back to basics and thoroughly check your grammar and spelling before you give it the OK. And if time permits get someone else to cast an eye over it to pick up any mistakes.
   
   
4. Tread lightly with hashtags
   If you're using hashtags in a campaign to help drive engagement, make sure you’re clear with your intentions. Don’t do what MacDonald’s did with #McDStories – which left customers open to share their bad experiences rather than their memorable ones. No positive PR generated from that one!
   
   
5. Seek opinions
   Attention to detail is key. If there’s the slightest chance you think what you’re publishing has the potential to attract negative attention get another opinion. Have someone review what you’ve written.
   ​

At the end of the day we all make mistakes, but let’s hope yours doesn’t stick around long enough to hit the headlines!

---