10 Failed Ad Campaigns That Actually Drove Away Customers

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Kenneth Cole seems to be adept at losing customers, as multiple insensitive and poorly thought out comments and ad campaigns have been popping up from them over the past few years.

Hurricane jokes, laughing at the expense of starving Somalians, and poking fun at the social uprising in Cairo, Egypt are only some of the insensitive stances Cole has taken on both Twitter and in print ads since as early as 2006.

“Black Pants Down – Our new looks are more slimming than a Somali diet! #KennethColeTweets” read one Tweet by the ill-humored company.

“Of course there are no gays in Iran, they’re all shopping at my new outlet in Dubai. Holla! #KennethColeTweets” read another. After making a post-9/11 joke and finally a joke that demeaned the Egyptian protests by saying “Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available at [link]”, Kenneth Cole finally apologized and removed some of their inappropriate jokes, but there’s no doubt that the company’s rampant insensitivity lost them a number of customers.