The message behind the controversy

Controversial ad campaigns are meant to grab people’s attention and cause a stir. To pull off an edgy campaign, you know it will offend some, but the attention generated for your business will be well worth the risk. But to successfully make a splash through controversy, your plan has to be well thought out and clear to all members of your team before ads even see the light of day.

Bad publicity is not always good publicity. A controversial ad campaign gone awry will be remembered years after it has been pulled. A recent example of a controversial campaign gone wrong is how one Edmonton hair salon’s ads seemingly trivialized domestic abuse. In this case, the hair salon was unprepared to control the message after the campaign began to gain negative publicity. The controversy has now reached international proportions.

A controversial campaign with impact needs a clear, meaningful, unified message or it could be misconstrued and ultimately drive more people away than attract positive curiosity. Key messaging is pertinent in keeping all the attention in your favour. All members of your team must be prepared to clearly answer the following questions:

1) Why did you choose to use controversial messaging in your ads knowing that it could be offensive?

2) How does this message reflect your brand identity?

3) What do you want to say to the people you have offended?

It is important not to deny the potential offensive nature of your ads, but to explain how your ads reflect a positive message about your brand. If these questions cannot be answered clearly, you should reconsider the value of your campaign and if it is really worth the controversy.