--- title: "Social Media Roundup: Avoid These Marketing Mishaps" id: "21195" type: "post" slug: "social-media-roundup-avoid-these-marketing-mishaps" published_at: "2014-01-14T00:00:21+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T03:29:17+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/01/14/social-media-roundup-avoid-these-marketing-mishaps/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2014/01/14/social-media-roundup-avoid-these-marketing-mishaps.md" excerpt: "Lessons you can learn from these marketing and management fails. Plus: Roll the red carpet out! A few non-tech event trends to expect in 2014." taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "event planning" - "Marketing" - "Mid-Level Professional" - "Trends" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Social Media Roundup: Avoid These Marketing Mishaps ## Takeaways from some epic marketing and management fails. Plus: Roll out the red carpet! Here are a few non-tech event trends to expect in 2014. There’s a something important to be learned from every *oops*. And when you’re looking to improve your event planning or marketing—as well as identify what *not* to do—where better to look than at some of 2013’s biggest marketing mishaps? A few lesson-laden gaffes in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Flip the flop > The Ten Biggest Event Management And [#Marketing (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Marketing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > Fails Of 2013 [#eventprof (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprof?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [http://t.co/E4WcWNgTOU (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/E4WcWNgTOU) > > — Lanie (@LanieECollins) [January 7, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/LanieECollins/status/420705914421657601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **In the world of marketing and event management,** there were some “positively titanic botches” last year that we can all take a lesson or two from, [writes Nicholas Greene of Tweetwall (opens in a new tab)](http://tweetwall.com/blog/ten-biggest-event-management-marketing-fails-2013/) . A particularly embarrassing example from LG: The South Korean electronics manufacturer loaded 100 helium-filled balloons with vouchers for new phones, then let them float in the air. Clever, right? Well, not so much when you consider that a crowd showed up, some prepped with BB guns, knives, and other balloon-popping paraphernalia; [20 people ended up hospitalized (opens in a new tab)](http://www.businessinsider.com/20-people-injured-at-g2-phone-giveaway-one-woman-brought-a-spear-2013-8) . And what about Epicurious’ decision to use the Boston Marathon bombings to promote its content, and an Obamacare advertising campaign by two Colorado nonprofits that featured keg stands, Ryan Gosling, and birth control pills? Greene’s point: These marketing mishaps show the need invest in proper market research and encourage employees to consider sensitive issues. Also, have a backup plan in case something goes wrong. Your potential gaffe might not lead to hospitalizations, but that’s no reason not to take things seriously. *(ht @[LanieC777 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/LanieC777/statuses/420705914421657601) )* ### Beyond Tech > 10 Non-Tech Event Trends for 2014 [http://t.co/WA2LiAw95U (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/WA2LiAw95U) > via [@EventMB (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/eventmb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventprof (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventprof?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#eventtips (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/eventtips?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > > — Evvnt (@Evvnt) [January 13, 2014 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/Evvnt/status/422704582284693504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **We spend a lot of time talking about tech,** but a bunch of things are happening in the events space that have nothing whatsoever to do with technology. That’s why *Event Manager Blog* contributor Jez Paxman was inspired to come up [with his own list of event trends for 2014 (opens in a new tab)](http://www.eventmanagerblog.com/non-tech-event-trends) . (They’re “based on gut instinct, not science,” he writes.) Among his predictions: Collaborative working will help breed fresh event formats that drive more active conversation; intriguing visuals and interesting speakers (think TED talks) will take the stage; and we’ll see shorter presentations, but they’ll have stronger structures and drive richer discussions. “The bar is being raised—speakers, you’ve been warned,” he writes. *(ht @[evvnt (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/evvnt/statuses/422704582284693504) )* What trends will you be keeping an eye on in 2014? Tell us in the comments. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Emma Beck](https://associationsnow.com/author/emma-beck/) Emma Beck is a contributor to Associations Now. 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