The biggest social media blunders of 2012
In this roundup from the Encore and Mumbrella Annual, we remember the seven biggest social media blunders from the last 12 months.
1. Seven News
When Seven News deleted a comment with 32,000 likes on its Facebook page from Linda Goldspink-Lord accusing the network of intrusive reporting of her 13-year-old daughter Molly Lord’s accidental death near Wollongong, NSW, social media uproar ensued, forcing the network to make a public apology.
2. Bruno Bouchet
Proving that it’s not just companies that can find themselves falling victim to the perils of social media, radio producer Bruno Bouchet was fired by 2DayFM after making jokes on Twitter about the tragic shooting massacre in Colorado. Bouchet’s defence was weak: “I didn’t realise how serious it was and I had had a few drinks”.
3. Ugg Australia
Infrequent Facebook monitoring landed shoe brand UGG Australia in hot water after a user posted a pornographic image on the brand’s page. More than 11 hours later the picture was still live.
4. York Butter ‘Pussy’ Factory
After tweeting ‘Techs are the pussy of the start-up scene. Fill the club with them and the business guys will follow’, technology work space the York Butter Factory trended on Twitter for all the wrong reasons. The blatantly sexist comment caused a backlash against the company which received so many hits to its website that it crashed.
5. Coles ‘Finish this sentence’
Coles triggered a predictable social media shit storm after it invited its followers on Twitter to finish the sentence: “In my house, its a crime not to buy…” Responses included: ‘food from markets while Coles exploits mental illness via pokies’. Its move was all the more foolish given rival Woolworths had fallen into the same trap the month prior when it asked Facebook fans to finish the sentence: “This weekend, I can’t wait to…”
6. Kangaroo Island cash for Tweets
Media Watch took the South Australian Tourism Commission to task over an email that outlined their plans to pay prominent figures $750 per tweet to promote Kangaroo Island. Matt Moran and Shannon Noll were among those paid and it tarnished an otherwise well-received campaign for the island destination.
7. Target’s ‘Trampy’ togs
Another brand guilty of lacklustre Faceboook management, Target found itself in trouble after a comment on the retailer’s brand page suggesting their clothing range made children ‘look like tramps’ picked up more than 53,000 likes and 300 comments. It took Target three full days before they responded to consumer anger.
- This list first appeared in the Encore and Mumbrella Annual available in the App store and on Google Play.
