Social Media Crisis costs Target Millions
Last April, Target published a blog post highlighting their stance on transgender bathroom policies, and specifically their policy of inclusion. As a result, nearly 700,000 consumers signed a pledge to boycott the store. In the weeks that followed, numerous individuals posted opinions about the policy on various social media channels which went viral. While Target already had this policy in place, the blog post caused a spark and fanned the flames of a social media crisis. Target’s CEO Brian Cornell claims to have found out about the blog post only after the fact and says that while he fully supports the policy, he wouldn’t have approved a post that “flaunts” it. The boycott has cost Target millions and forced them to react by installing or retrofitting single occupancy toilets to the tune of an additional $20M.
Target had taken a stand with their policies which their PR and Communications teams seemingly thought would be newsworthy and a positive refection on their brand. In reality it backfired. Brand protection is more than reacting to a social media crisis. When done properly brand protection is a proactive strategy that avoids backlash and crisis. Contact Mzinga help you determine your brand protection strategy and crisis management plans.
