Crisis memory 2.0: May 2017

Now it's May's turn to be analysed, with fewer crises than usual and one very big one, which was the 2nd biggest of the year.41. Pizza Hut A Facebook advert featuring Fatah leader and prisoner Marwan Barghouti was published by the local Pizza Hut chain, provoking outrage from pro-Palestinian communities. The slogan read "Barghouti, if you have to stop the strike, wouldn't it be better to do it with a pizza". Pizza Hut International reacted:

"This act was totally inappropriate and does not reflect our brand values. The franchisee in the country in question has removed the post. If anyone was hurt, we sincerely regret it."

A boycott hashtag Boycott_PizzaHut was quickly propagated on social networks.Teaching:Once again, community managers are plagued by laughter.42. Chanel Chanel is going to cause a bit of a stir with the sale of a boomerang... for €1,260.The main criticism is that it shows a lack of respect for the aboriginal community in Australia. The brand responded in a press release:

"Weare very respectful of different cultures and traditions and regret "that some people may have been offended. We fully understand and respect the cultural attachment that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community has to this item.Sportswear is an integral part of the Chanel brand identity."

Teaching :A crisis on the nation's values.43. Pole Emploi Pole emploi is to publish a problematic infographic summarising the typical day of an unemployed person:This will not go down well with Twitter users, who see it as a criticism of the "lazy" unemployed.Lesson:Always think in terms of the audience, not yourself.44. C8 Regularly targeted by badbuzz, Cyril Hanouna and Direct 8 experienced a particularly notable crisis this year. In a programme in May 2017, the Touche Pas à Mon Poste presenter, wanting to try his hand at a "free radio" exercise, trapped homosexuals live on air.Adopting a very effeminate voice, Cyril Hanouna played the comedy by making fun of various speakers contacted by telephone who were unaware that they were being recorded.Many viewers were shocked by the sequence, which they saw as clearly homophobic. Numerous complaints were lodged with the CSA (Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel) and a media frenzy ensued on social networks. The issue was further escalated when the public learned that one of the young people who was the victim of the TPMP sketch had been kicked out of his home by his parents.The CSA was particularly severe, fining the programme an estimated €3 million.Teaching :Mobilising the public can have far-reaching consequences, particularly in terms of fines.45. McDonald's A McDonald's ad featuring a child whose parent has died will shock many people.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1XM4INk8l8In the video, the child asks what his father was doing before tasting a hamburger, while his mother tells him "it was your father's favourite too". The sequence, seen as the exploitation of death for publicity purposes, was not to everyone's taste.TeachingSome things are difficult to exploit in advertising46. SNCF The change of name of the TGV to Inoui will be mocked by most Internet users. In the end, SNCF managers will let it go and will be very happy with the visibility gained thanks to these comments.Lessons learned:There will always be comments about new logos and new names for a well-known organisation.