5 Brand Fails to Avoid as You Build Your Business

We're focusing a lot on the right things to do to build your brand this year, from taking the first steps towards a strategy to using the right tools. But there's also a lot to learn in the failure of other brands to connect with their customer (or, worse still, outright offending them!) Today we'll look at five big fails of brands big and small over the past year or so, all of which have a take away for your business to learn from as you build a brand you're proud of. [caption id="attachment_1272" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Avoid these errors that will give your brand an automatic thumbs down.[/caption]

5 Major Brand Fails (and What They Mean for Your Business)

1. Case: DiGiorno blind tweets into a domestic violence discussion.Takeaway? Always check the hashtag! Trending topics are often accompanied by a hashtag created to keep track of the conversation. Trends are attractive because they become a lightning rod for attention, but that doesn't mean your business can jump in on the first you see to say "look at me!" If a controversy is brewing, it's best to find a less controversial hashtag or, better yet, create one of your own and post cleverly enough that you get it to trend. 2. Case: U2 gives a gift that not everyone wanted.Takeaway? Discounts, gifts and any kind of promotional offers should serve the customer first, brand second. There will always be an element of both, but getting the emphasis wrong makes your business look arrogant and self-serving, which is brand recognition that no-one needs. 3. Case: Delta Airlines fails to do its geography homework.Takeaway? Research Before Writing! Yes, even a tweet should see you reading up on any subject matter you're not familiar with. All the more reason to write about the subjects you know best, your own business and industry! (And if you're trying to entertain, avoid anything with even the slightest potential to offend.) 4. Case: Esurance fails to cover all the angles.Takeaway? Proof, proof, and proof again! Sure, that sounds excessive, but when it comes to anything that your business is putting out there in public, especially advertisements, the potential to damage rather than build your brand is ever-present. Even innocent and innocuous oversights can impact your bottom line negatively. 5. Case: Victoria's Secret crosses the line between inspirational and insulting imagery.Takeaway? Stay in touch with your customer's reality. Although the best branding tends to be aspirational, there's a thin line between building up your customers' image and tearing it down. If you maintain a close connection to the people who know your business best, you have a much better chance of understanding not only what they want, but their pain points and what turns them off entirely. Have any brands ruined their image for you recently? What lessons were you able to apply to your own business from their failure? Tell us on Twitter, Google+, or over on Facebook!