PR DISASTERS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED: LESSONS FROM HIGH-PROFILE FAILURES

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

PR issues at Nike, Ulta, and Netflix show how even well-known brands can lose control of the narrative through bad communication. Nike's 2025 marathon ad campaign, which presented a simplistic, commercialized take on marathoners' complex motivations, failed not in intent but in execution. Ulta Beauty's 2022 marketing team overlooked the cultural implications of their email language, sending a tone-deaf message that contradicted public expectations for brand sensitivity. Netflix's 2023 password-sharing announcement lacked strategic rollout planning and message clarity, resulting in consumer confusion.