Ch. 8: Advertising Malpractice: What Is it and How Could it Cost You?
Pt. 1: Case Study: The $10 Million Just For Feet Super Bowl Ad Disaster
Just for Feet was an up-and-coming shoe store that secured a commercial spot during the Super Bowl — so why did it sue its advertising firm for malpractice?
The Super Bowl commercial was a disaster. In the ad , men in a Humvee chase down a Kenyan runner, drug him, and force new athletic shoes on his bare feet. The ad was almost universally reviled, with columnists calling it racist and tasteless.
To this day, if you Google "Just for Feet," most of the top results reference the horribly insensitive ad.
But let's get back to malpractice. According to Advertising Age , Just for Feet sued its ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi for $10 million in damages related to the ad, claiming the ad destroyed its reputation and ruined the company's chance to gain new customers with a prominent Super Bowl ad.
Media Malpractice: How to Avoid Media Miscues
Here are some steps you can take to avoid advertising malpractice lawsuits from disappointed clients:
DON'T…
- Overpromise results to clients. Dashed expectations can quickly turn into lawsuits.
Next: Ch. 9: Creative, but Cautious: How Ad Agencies Can Avoid Media Liability Lawsuits