Harvey Nichols marketing blunder –
High street giant Harvey Nichols has come under fire for their latest campaign, promoting their summer sale, that depicts a woman who has apparently – there is no delicate way of putting this – wet her pants.
BizzyBizExpert Alan Briggs@thejeremyvine My colleague @uksalesmentor and I are shocked by the new Harvey Nichols advert what do you and your followers think?…
The glossy poster depicts a woman who has apparently – and there is no delicate way of putting this – wet her pants with excitement.
But the Knightsbridge store’s latest mailshots have angered some more sensitive shoppers who have branded them ‘crass’ and off-putting.
lizbeff_mary Lizzie StablerNot so keen on the latest Harvey Nichols advertising campaign http://t.co/VR8iVaCj It doesn’t beat their “Walk of Shame” Christmas ad.
Clearly a very good way of harbouring a bit more national attention! I think it’s pretty funny and original.
Some people need to get a grip. It’s a funny campaign, replicated virally to many thousands more people than would have received the original DM in their letterbox. Quite how selective were you when selecting Twitter quotes about the campaign? every comment I’ve seen has been in favour.
Mark,
Thanks for this – and yes perhaps I was somewhat unfair in my selection of twitter comments. Hope this adds some balance,
Will Corry
Harvey Nicks has now taken the piss out of advertising! I first saw one of these ‘wet patch’ ads as a printed banner in Evening Standard earlier this week and at frist thought the rain had wet my paper…but it made me read the advert. Although that is some value… my old fashioned reaction was far from positive and I was so shocked by this poor level of communications from a quality retailer I ripped the page out and stuck it on our company notice board with the added header- Is this a Bad Ad?
Most staff at my company are younger, cooler, wiser and smarter than me…..
We are marketing consultants, designers art directors and account planners and it was interesting to get their feedback- it was generally bad and in cases (mainly women) very bad. Cheap, rude, crude and other comments were fast in reply.
I have had three ads in my history band but I never resorted to anything this poor- I agree with the younger comments, I thought it was simply cheap humour and bad communications- surely a wonderful retail institution like Harvey’s can do netter- if not call me- on this campaign I was left thinking negitively about HN and I could not as a marketer suggest this reaction- regardless of the viral advantage can be good for a brand. If popular knowledge is a good marketing sign then bad news is always good marketing? Not sure that stands up to history.
Anyway yesterday I noticed the Times ran the same advert exactly EXCEPT they cropped the girl’s bottom half off- it is now just a basic rubbish sale advert but at least we can enjoy the dry humour.
Richard
Many thanks for your comment. Do you know if The Times change was set up by the agency or the paper?
Will Corry