Throwback Thursday: Urban Outfitters' Blood Splattered Kent State Shirt

In honor of #ThrowbackThursday, our Los Angeles marketing firm went down memory lane; we didn't go too far, just back a few months.

Back in September of this year (2014), the internet witnessed Urban Outfitters put a shirt for sale that may or may both have been trying to capitalize on the Kent State shooting that happened May 4, 1970.

Urban Outfitters evoked the emotion still tied to that tragedy with the bizarre sweatshirt, displaying the school's name on the front and covered with what appear to be blood splatter marks.

The item was first discovered by +BuzzFeed soon after the retailer put the faux-vintage sweatshirt up for sale on their site; they claimed to only have one for sale and that consumers should "get it or regret it!" Then they slapped a jaw-dropping $130 price tag.

The sale of the sweatshirt sparked intents backlash against the retailer on social media; this was not the first time the retailer has been caught possibly being insensitive towards a controversial/sensitive event or group of people. Urban has been caught with Navajo-Indian (coming in white charcoal, Obama/black) inspired clothing and shirts that seemingly glorified terrorism, and a t-shirt that is reminiscent of the shirts Jews had to wear during WW2/Nazi Germany.

It is possible that the shirt was an elaborate PR stunt, regardless, it was one bad marketing mistake.

Sometimes, a creative team does not realize a mistake is a mistake until after it is made; however, a great marketing firm can spot a mistake before the launch. If you want a creative agency that knows a bad idea before it is published, then hire Integraphix -- a Los Angeles creative agency.

Star Wars' Holiday Special: A Marketing Goof

Inspired by the #ThrowbackThursday theme, or #TBT for short, we looked back at some of the worst marketing ideas that we have witnessed. It was November 17,1978, the world was hot off the recent release and blockbuster Star Wars movie.

George Lucas was looking to create another hit in between his previous movie and the next release, scheduled to hit theaters in 1980 (The Empire Strikes Back). George decided that a holiday special would keep his fans happy and tide them over.

The result was one of the most embarrassing things to air on TV and made 13 million CBS viewers its victims. Yes, you may be wondering, "What about Jar Jar Binks?" And the answer is, yes, it was more embarrassing than Jar Jar Binks. Why was it so bad
? You tell us; would you want to watch a move about Chewbacca needing to get home to his family on the planet Kashyyyk so he could celebrate Life Day with them in their treehouse home.

A couple days before the movie aired on TV, they had the promo that said, "Will Chewbacca get home to his planet in time for the big Wookiee celebration?" *face palm*

As a professional copywriter for a Los Angeles creative agency, I cringed when I read that line from the promo… I cringed when I heard about the idea for the TV movie. I cringed when I realized a marketing guy at CBS gave this the green light.

Well, you have to have bad marketing to appreciate great marketing, right?

Has you company had bad marketing in the past that rivals the Star Wars Holiday Special and wants to change that? Then hire Integraphix to see what good marketing can do for your business!

Has this Lingerie Brand Hit a Marketing Stroke of Genius?

Aerie has been known for its lingerie quality and beautiful models. However, they have recently made some bold marketing decisions that seem to be paying off. Big time.

Earlier this year, the lingerie brand has decided to no longer Photoshop models. That is correct, they no longer Photoshop or do any image retouching to the shots of the models for their ads. The ROI on this decision has been a 9 percent jump in profits of the last quarter, in addition to receiving l
ots of public approval.

Anything from birthmarks to tattoos are left on the models in their ads. Some critics still comment on the fact that the women are models and therefore have "perfect bodies". However, since the women are not Photoshopped, it means that whatever body types that are shown in the ads are (likely) natural and thus, achievable. Many consumers still feel that as long as the images aren't altered, the women in the ads are relatable and inspirational.

Aerie has put together the campaign to get women between 15 & 21 to "get real and think real"; this campaign has seen incredible success. This Los Angeles creative agency is a firm believer in the campaign. On the other end of the spectrum, Victoria's Secret has seen some flashback from their "Perfect 'Body'" campaign.

In addition to this decision, Aerie has also decided to show items on women in many body types to give every woman an idea of how an item would fit them.

Marketing is all about finding the thing that makes you stand out, like Aerie did. Of course, it requires having a creative agency that is able to find the solution. Does your business need to hire a marketing agency that can get you a great competitive advantage? Then chat with Integraphix!