One slogan is "If you don't like your imperfections, someone else will." which on the poster was displayed at underground stations in London. Although this slogan is not malicious itself, but it seems like implying freckle and red hair as 'imperfection' with the poster photo. Also, the red hair was showed may link to freckle potentially.
This adverting cause commuter complaints, and many twitter users send twitter showing discontent Match.com
Twitter user uses irony to ex express his dissatisfaction.
Actor Charlie Clemmow raised objection to the advertisement.
Although Match.com apologize on Twitter, and remove posters . but it is not the first time that sparked controversy due to their advertisement.
The hashtag included: "Love your imperfections" is not wrong too, but the situation: never has his Travelcard ready" is not likable totally. Which means in this situation will influence the people who are in the queue. Moreover, this poster was in the underground station and was easy to recognize.
And, this one, really?
When a company designs their marketing orientation or promotion need to consider about self concept of their consumers. Especially one famous match dating website, their consumers may more focus these parts. Someone may understand these advertisements from the view of Match.com, which the company wants their consumers or potential targets become more confident to use their servers. However, they did not realize they have no right to evaluate some part of others is defective, even no malice hurt others.
As said before, the users of these matching dating website are more sensitive to their self concept. A good company, does not to waste their qualification or resources. The problem of these posters not limited to, their slogan or graph, more about the wrong way of considering their consumers' self concepts, or not sensitive from the view of consumers.
In fact, After Match.com faced barrage of criticism, who can say this website was not famous? Which was promoted in a negative way.
Reference:
ITV (2016) Match.com apologies for ads that label freckles as 'imperfections' after commuter complaints. Available from: http://www.itv.com/news/2016-04-12/match-com-apologises-for-ads-that-label-freckles-as-imperfections-after-commuter-complaints/
Schmitt, B. (1999). Experiential Marketing in Journal of Marketing Management
Tom, W. (2016) Fury at online dating site advert that said freckles and red hair were 'imperfections': Match.com forced to apologise after barrage of criticism. Available from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3536975/Fury-online-dating-site-advert-said-freckles-red-hair-imperfections-Match-com-forced-apologise-barrage-criticism.html
haha, it's unique to use a not so positive example to analyse. Actually, this company were trying to use an educated concept and that's not wrong, but the way they delivered it was. I think that Dove did very well about self concept, which can be seen in my blog. It's concept is kind of similar with this company, but Dove made people describe strangers' appearance and compare those to the description of the person self, which shows that strangers' description were always better than themselves!! That was amazing and made people moved!
ReplyDeleteGood self promotion, Fay lol
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