I’m sure many people have heard recently of the (very distasteful) Kent State University sweatshirt that was posted on the Urban Outfitters page. (You can read about it here.)
Amidst the public outcry, shock and dismay over such a distasteful ad that now has everyone talking, I wanted to point out something: Everyone is talking.
People are talking worldwide.
Yes, the ad is in poor taste…and yes the post went viral. But I wonder, was all of this carefully planned from the start. I mean, apart from this, when was the last time anybody heard of a “small” little company like Urban Outfitters?
Well, I’m not saying to go and do likewise…to find the most distasteful and insulting thing you can and put it up on your site. But I am saying is to take a clue from (what I think is) intentional marketing…and get people talking.