1. Negative Publicity During the Super Bowl

    By Ying Wang

    Among the dozens of new commercials that premiere during the Super Bowl every year, there are always a few that rub people the wrong way. One such commercial is the Valentine’s Day ad for Telefora.com. It features model and Victoria’s Secret Angel Adriana Lima in various stages of dressing as she not so subtly explains to male viewers that if they give their lady friends flowers, they can expect to receive a “gift” of their own.  


    It’ll be particularly interesting to see how such a sexually charged ad affects the brand in the long run. With the popularity of YouTube and other social media sites, Super Bowl ads like this one for Telefora.com can now be viewed at any time or day and as many times as one likes. Telefora.com, like the GoDaddy and David Beckham/H&M ads which also aired during this year’s Super Bowl, relies heavily on that shock factor to draw the viewer’s attention. They are looking for a reaction from the public, even if that reaction is negative. Due to the proliferation of social media, it makes it possible for the Telefora.com ad to live on long after the game has ended. Will this advertisement sell flowers? Sure, but my guess is that it will create a lot more resentment than long-term success for the brand.

    Another ad that struck a chord with viewers this Super Bowl was Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)’s political campaign ad against Democratic Michigan incumbent Debbie Stabenow. In this 30 second ad, we are introduced to a variety of stereotypes regarding Chinese people, including the sounds of a gong, rice paddies, a Chinese girl wearing a conical straw hat around her neck and speaking in broken English.

    Hoekstra intended his ad to draw attention to Senator Stabenow’s role in the country’s $1.1 trillion debt to China. Hoekstra’s spokesperson, Paul Ciaramitaro defended the ad, calling it “satirical” in nature and reassuring that “it’s not a racial overtone to compare yourself to competitors on a global stage.” Many, including two of Hoekstra’s GOP opponents, Clark Durant and Gary Glee have issued statements questioning whether the current front-runner is the right candidate for Republicans to support.

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    However, social media outlets were abuzz with negative feedback. There was a barrage of criticism that hit Hoekstra’s Facebook page early Sunday evening after the ad ran. Most of the negative posts were deleted by Monday morning. On his official YouTube page, the ratings and comments section for the ad video were disabled. Despite the fact that this ad only ran statewide in Michigan, it’s gained significant traction online. Similar to last Super Bowl’s Groupon ad, which many considered an exploitation of the tragedy in Tibet, It’s clear that brands have to be wary of the message they’re sending out to the public…or face the wrath of the social media universe.

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