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When Marketing Goes Wrong
Simple Lessons You Can Use in Your Business
Marketing failures teach you as much as the wins. When marketing goes wrong, it can slow leads, weaken trust, and leave good businesses slipping behind. Think of it like laying bricks on a site with the wrong line. You only see the fault when the wall is already out of shape.
This guide walks you through big names that got their marketing wrong, and what you can take from their mistakes. You’ll learn how to keep your brand clear, stay steady when markets shift, and protect the trust your business depends on.
How unclear marketing can pull a business off course
You’ll see this pattern in many failed brands: they got too close to their own product and missed the wider picture. It’s like focusing on one cracked tile but missing the damp behind the wall. By the time they changed direction, customers had already moved on.
You’ll learn why clear positioning, simple messaging, and honest customer experience matter far more than flashy campaigns.
Woolworths: when a brand loses its place on the shelf
Woolworths Easter advert showing when marketing goes wrong, with a crowded product range and an unclear message.
What you can learn from Woolworths’ fall
Woolworths was once a regular stop on the high street. But as supermarkets grew and discount chains spread, Woolworths drifted. Was it a toy shop? A bargain store? A homeware shop? Customers couldn’t tell. Without a clear place in the market, footfall fell year after year.
What actually went wrong
- The brand message slipped until no one knew what it stood for
- Stores looked busy but lacked a simple reason to visit
- Competitors claimed the space Woolworths once owned
What this means for you
When your message isn’t clear, customers guess. And guessing is bad for sales. A clear offer beats brand history every time.
Saab: When a brand forgets the thing people love
Saab’s advert used to show when marketing goes wrong, as the brand’s message no longer matched what customers loved about it.
Why Saab’s story matters
Saab fans were loyal. They loved the odd shapes, the aircraft-style dashboards, and the character that no one else copied. When new owners removed the traits customers enjoyed, Saab’s soul faded. It became “just another car brand”, and the loyal base drifted away.
Where the marketing slipped
- The story that made Saab special was watered down
- Buyers felt the cars had lost their character
- The brand drifted into the middle, where no one cared
What this means for you
You don’t need to shout louder. You need to hold onto the things people already trust and like about your business.
Kodak: the danger of ignoring where the market is heading
A Kodak printer advert used to show when marketing goes wrong, focusing on ink pricing while the market moved to digital.
The lesson behind Kodak’s collapse
Kodak created the digital camera long before anyone else. They hid it, worried it would hurt film sales. While they held back, rivals surged ahead. By the time Kodak reacted, customers had moved.
Where the thinking failed
- They focused on protecting the old instead of preparing for the new
- They held onto products that the market was already leaving
- They didn’t shift their message to match how people were buying
What this means for you
Holding onto the old way can feel safe, but it can cost you your future. When you see a real shift, move fast and explain the change clearly.
Everest: when broken trust becomes too heavy to carry
Why Everest’s story is a warning for home improvement firms
Everest was a name every homeowner knew. But trust slipped as stories of pushy sales tactics and confusing discounts grew. Ads looked strong, but customer stories said something else. In the home improvement sector, trust is the main driver of sales. Once that goes, everything else follows.
What went wrong
- Glossy ads didn’t match the service people received
- Online reviews grew negative
- Trust fell faster than any rebrand could fix
What this means for you
Your ads can look smart, but customers talk. If your service doesn’t match your message, the market will expose it quickly. In this sector, trust drives every sale.
Nokia and BlackBerry: success makes you slow if you’re not careful
Nokia 5510 advert showing when marketing goes wrong, focusing on a quirky design while the market shifted elsewhere.
Why the two giants fell
Nokia and BlackBerry ruled the early mobile market. But they focused on each other, not on what customers wanted next. When touchscreen phones arrived, these brands didn’t move. They held onto keypads while Apple and Android reshaped the market overnight.
Where they slipped
- They didn’t see how fast customer habits were changing
- They believed their past success was enough
- They didn’t update their message or product fast enough
What this means for you
Your competition may not be the firm down the road. It could be a new entrant with a fresh idea that speaks to customers better. Staying alert keeps you from falling behind.
Keep the flow going
Marketing works a bit like water running through a heating system. If one pipe blocks, the whole house feels it. These stories show what happens when brands stop watching the signs.
Stay clear with your message. Watch how your customers behave. Keep trust front and centre. And when you see the market shifting, move early and explain the change in simple terms that your customers understand.
If you’d like help tightening your message or spotting gaps before they become problems, we can walk you through it.
When marketing goes wrong, we can help you put it right
If you recognise some of these warning signs in your own business and feel that your marketing has gone off course, it is time to talk. At Purplex, we work with construction, home improvement, and building products companies to fix weak messaging, rebuild brand trust, and create a clear marketing strategy that supports steady growth.
You can contact our marketing team to review your current activity, plan your next steps, and find out how we can support your business. You can also email us at
grow@purplexmarketing.com or call us on 01934 808132 to speak to one of our specialists.
You might also like to read
If you found these examples of when marketing goes wrong useful, these related articles from the Purplex team will help you sharpen your strategy, protect brand trust, and keep your business moving in the right direction.
- 6 instances of digital marketing gone bad – real case studies of campaigns that backfired online and what you can learn before you run your next digital marketing push.
- Why brand trust is so important – a deeper look at how brand trust affects sales, repeat customers, and long-term growth in competitive markets.
- Business vs. brand: are you getting the balance right? – Andrew Scott explains how smart firms balance day-to-day sales activity with building a stronger brand.
- Marketing your way out of low growth – practical advice on using marketing to stay visible, keep leads coming in, and prepare for growth in a slow economy.
About the author: Martyn East
Hello, I’m Martyn, an SEO Executive at Purplex Marketing, working with construction, home improvement, and building products companies that want marketing that does not go off track. I focus on SEO strategy, content planning, and on-site fixes that support long-term lead generation and brand growth.
I help clients avoid common marketing mistakes and turn their websites into steady lead engines. Connect with me on LinkedIn, or read more of my articles on the Purplex blog.
This entry was posted in Marketing Strategy
