A good marketing campaign makes a company look smart. However, over the years, there have been some campaigns produced by famous brands which did not sit well with people. Here are four such examples, where the idea behind the marketing campaigns by famous brands failed miserably.
Marketing campaigns which failed
1) Pepsi “Jump In” campaign
Pepsi’s 2017 marketing campaign featuring reality star Kendall Jenner is considered one of the biggest campaign failures by the brand. The campaign depicted Kendall Jenner trying to keep the Black Lives Matters protest under control by offering a can of Pepsi. The message behind the advertisement did not sit well with many people worldwide. The campaign received major backlash on social media and was pulled down just after one day of its release. The brand had to apologize for the campaign and PepsiCo’s president Brad Jakeman resigned from his position and described the campaign as “the most gut wrenching experience” of his career.
2) Audi “Chinese Wedding” commercial
A campaign by Audi China about second hand cars sparked outrage due to its controversial content. The advertisement tried to channel the idea of checking out a car before purchasing it. Unfortunately, this was depicted by a mother in law checking out her future daughter in law by pinching her lips and pulling her nose. The campaign followed the tag line “An important decision must be made carefully.” The campaign saw a public outcry because of its comparison of women to cars. The backlash caused Audi’s China division to publish an apology on their WeChat account.
3) Dove “Body Positive Packaging” campaign
Dove’s long running real beauty campaign is popular among many and is well received. However, its 2017 body positive packaging campaign became a failure. Dove released a limited edition packaging in England, which tried to represent the diversity of female bodies. The Company released only 7 bottles from which women could choose one based on their body shape. The packaging compared women’s figures to abstract, shapeless bottles of soap. The campaign’s message behind the packaging and the limited representation of body types came across wrong and became a punchline on social media.
4) McDonald’s “UK TV Spot” commercial
The UK McDonald’s ran a commercial where a young boy talks about his late father and how they shared a love for McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. McDonald’s received criticism for the campaign as people blamed the Company for exploiting grief to sell sandwiches. The backlash resulted in the commercial being pulled down permanently from all media sources.
If you think we missed any other failed marketing campaigns by any famous brand, comment below and let us know.
Tesla has ramped up its India expansion by leasing a 24,565 sq ft warehouse at Lodha Logistics Park in Mumbai’s Kurla West. The five-year lease, registered on May 16, 2025, involves a total rent of over ₹24 crore, starting at ₹37.53 lakh per month with a 5% annual escalation. The facility includes two ground-floor units and 20 parking spots, with rent payments commencing June 1, 2025.
This warehouse will function as a key service center and garage for Tesla’s India operations, excluding bodywork and spray painting. The move supports Tesla’s preparations for its official market debut, expected in late 2025 or early 2026.
Tesla’s India rollout includes offices in Pune, flagship showrooms in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and Delhi-NCR, and co-working spaces in Mumbai. The new warehouse lease highlights Tesla’s commitment to building a robust infrastructure for sales, service, and delivery of electric vehicles and energy products across India.
While manufacturing plans are not yet confirmed, Tesla is reportedly exploring sites in Maharashtra for a potential assembly unit. The Mumbai warehouse lease marks a significant step in Tesla’s strategy to establish a strong presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets.
Info Edge (India) Ltd shareholders have overwhelmingly approved an investment of up to ₹1,000 crore in the company’s third venture capital fund, Info Edge Ventures Fund III. The proposal received near-unanimous backing, with 99.9995% of valid votes in favor out of 1,274 participants.
Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, a wholly owned Info Edge subsidiary, will act as sponsor and investment manager for the new fund. This move strengthens Info Edge’s commitment to backing early-stage startups and expanding its footprint in India’s venture capital landscape.
Info Edge has a strong track record as an early investor in leading Indian startups like Zomato and PB Fintech, with combined holdings in these firms valued at ₹31,500 crore ($3.7 billion) as of March 31, 2025.
MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has partnered with fintech leader Razorpay to support the growth of deeptech and emerging tech startups across India, with a special focus on those in Tier II and III cities. Through this collaboration, early-stage startups will gain access to Razorpay’s fintech infrastructure, mentorship, and resources via the Razorpay Rize program.
Startups in areas like AI, blockchain, robotics, and IoT will benefit from streamlined company incorporation support, expert mentorship, product credits, and guidance for applying to global accelerators such as Y Combinator. Selected founders will also join the exclusive Rize Community, connecting with peer networks and attending masterclasses.
MSH CEO Panneerselvam Madanagopal emphasized that this partnership will help founders scale faster by providing vital support in mentorship, capital access, and digital infrastructure. As India’s startup ecosystem surpasses 159,000 DPIIT-recognised startups, this initiative aims to give deeptech entrepreneurs the tools and networks needed to innovate for India and expand globally.
