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The brand apology goes real time
The Amp Up Before You Score application for the iPhone had all the hallmarks of something that could be controversial. The flimsy premise is that the Pepsi brand will give guys tips on scoring with women, even including a "brag list" function to share their successes via status update. R/GA's Jay Zasa said the app is meant as a lighthearted brand utility. He even said the most likely use would be laughing along with a girl while reading the cheatsheets. That didn't stop the howls of social-media protests that Amp—and by extension, Pepsi—is sexist. Posts appeared Monday on blogs like Mashable and Jezebel, which then inflamed Twitter. Amp did something quite interesting yesterday afternoon. It responded via Twitter with the classic I'm-sorry-to-anyone-offended half-apology. Time will tell if it's enough to mollify the outraged. A Pepsi rep said the brand has "no plans at this time" to either change the app or withdraw it. —Posted by Brian Morrissey |
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October 13, 2009 in News and Analysis | Permalink |
Comments
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Anyone who thinks that Pepsi didn't intend, expect and hope for this controversy to happen doesn't know the marketing business very well.
Posted by: Eric Webber | Oct 13, 2009 11:21:27 AM
Obviously this was created by men who have never "scored" with a woman.
Posted by: Hot Chick | Oct 13, 2009 11:24:58 AM
