Case of the Misfired Message

Copywriting that backfires

Have you ever written copy that was taken wrong or misunderstood by your readers? You might be kicking yourself but you’re actually in good company. You can learn from marketing misfires made by big companies, sometimes with negative PR effects.

Example 1: “The Sad Grandpa”

This video was made by a German supermarket to generate warm and fuzzy emotions, not specifically to promote the store. You’ve probably seen the story. Sad old grandfather is alone on Christmas, with sons and daughters scattered and too busy to come home. He sends them a message to tell them he’s dying. They all come home, feeling sad and guilty, and end up with a cheerful, well-cooked Christmas dinner.

This video went viral. Many people responded to the idea of being alone on Christmas, especially for an old person.

But not all viewers responded positively. Some found the video depressing for the season. Worse, not everyone got the message, “Remember your parents. They won’t be around.”

Some got a different message: “This man was being manipulative.” And, they added, family get-togethers shouldn’t be based on manipulation.

One way to see the message clearly: Imagine the characters changed. Suppose a young woman with a baby hadn’t heard from her…