I read this story today and felt instant compassion for the Marketing Director. Some of you may not be familiar with this retail store's name, Caldor. It used to be a KMart-like store in the northeast. It went out-of-business several years ago and this may be the reason why.
In 1998, one of their weekly fliers that you'd find in your Sunday paper prominently displayed a photo of two grinning boys playing the board game Scrabble with the word 'RAPE' spelled out in the center of the board.
11 million copies of the flier was distributed across 85 newspapers. Caldor released a statement stating it was mystified as to how the image was created and got past proofreaders.
I understand how it happened. I used to put together the advertising and fliers for Woolworth's when I was just out of college. You get so busy pulling together all the copy, making sure the prices are right, making sure the store will have stock, getting artwork and photos for all the merchandise, and doing all this with a tight deadline hanging over you. I can see how the photo's detail got missed.
It may have been a photo you were waiting for and you were so relieved to get it that you didn't take the time to give it a discerning look. Chances are the photographer didn't notice the boys' prank. Maybe the boys had spelled 'grape' and had accidentally knocked off the 'g'. So many things could've gone wrong.
That's why I'm always a bit cautious about posting, printing, emailing, talking to reporters. Although I run everything by my boss and the President, something like that could failed to be noticed. And it's my job not theirs to make sure it gets noticed.
It's why I truly and deeply appreciate when my boss takes his time and really looks at everything I hold out for approval. He catches and thinks of things I don't. He's my safety net.
It's why I use proofreaders. I like to send them the entire ad, press release, newsletter, document. They catch it all. Thanks to the web, we're no longer faxing or emailing the copy to a proofreader and waiting a day or two for them to get to it. I use ProofReadNow.com, I send them the document or PDF and choose when I need it back. Fantastically, they have one hour service. And the price is quite affordable. Again think of the cost if you've made a mistake.
A bit of nostalgia for myself, during my career at Woolworth's, the advertising manager quit and I got promoted. As a joke, the old ad manager replaced the copy for some ceramic mugs with "I no longer have to put up with 'Name of manager he didn't like'". Needless to say I missed it and it printed. It got noticed a couple of weeks later. Luckily my management believed me when I said I didn't do it. I always wondered if he meant it as a joke. Joke on me maybe.
So where does that leave me in today's world of blogs, twitters, emails.
Perched on a thin edge, I am. And I've got lots of company.
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2 comments:
You either except the stress or figure out who to point a finger at. Accept the blame and move on. Don't repeat history.
I always thought the tension was a part of the game. We marketers like the challenge. I wouldn't have it any other way. And knowing you, it's the same Quit'cha bitchin'
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