Good PR
Ford, yes the car manufacturer, has designed a ‘smart bed’ for couples, which rolls your partner back over to their own side if they start to encroach on your sacred sleeping space.
A video has been created to show how it all works and it’s been delivering a lot of coverage for the brand. The idea forms part of the ‘Interventions’ series, in which Ford has been looking into ways that technology can improve our lives and make them easier.
Check out the video here:
The ‘Ford Lane-Centring Bed’ is inspired by the lane-centring technology used in some of the manufacturer’s vehicles and the timing of the video’s release is perfect; just in time for Valentine’s Day when the media agenda is, of course, very focused on relationships.
A sleep expert named Dr Neil Stanley featured in the video, adding clout to the story and even though the bed is not yet available to purchase (and the PR cynic in me says it probably never will be), it’s done the perfect job of scoring some coverage on the likes of Metro, Shortlist, The Independent and more.
Bad PR
The airline Delta handed out Coca-Cola napkins to passengers ahead of Valentine’s Day which were about as creepy as it gets. If you’ve never been peer-pressured by a bit of tissue before, you’re about the find out what that whole concept could look like.
The napkins said “because you’re on a plane full of interesting people and hey… you never know” with two lines to write your name and phone number on (presumably to then drop onto the tray table of a person you’ve been giving the eye to).
The back of the napkin, which has Diet Coke branding on, confirms this intention, reading “be a little old school. Write down your number and give it to your plane crush. You never know.”
Some people found them funny, whilst others were pretty outraged by the mere concept. Both brands apologised and Delta is now in the process or removing the napkins from aircrafts, which were placed onboard as part of a design rotation for Delta and Coca-Cola’s brand partnership.
Hey @Delta and @CocaCola These napkins are creepy AF. Pretty sure no one appreciated unsolicited phone numbers in the ‘good old days’ and they sure as heck don’t want the number of someone who has been gawking at them on a plane for hours today. Not a good look. pic.twitter.com/PJAiurFRMh
— ducksauz (@ducksauz) January 21, 2019
Written by Shannon Peerless, 10 Yetis @ShazzaYeti on Twitter. Seen any good or bad PR lately? You know what to do @10Yetis on Twitter or andy@10Yetis.co.uk on email
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