Urban Outfitters Bloody Mess

Authors
Bradley W. Brooks, Steven M. Cox
Region
North America
Topic
Marketing & Sales
Strategy & General Management
Length
4 pages
Keywords
marketing
advertizing
keller's brand equity model
brand
Equity
Copyright Holder
Journal of Critical Incidents
Student Price
$4.00
Target Audience
Undergraduate Students

Urban Outfitters, as part of their vintage line, came under severe criticism for selling a sweatshirt with a Kent State University logo that included red splotches that resembled blood stains. The outrage stemmed from a Vietnam era shooting on campus by National Guard Soldiers that left ten students wounded and four dead. The criticism was generating significant attention for the product and for the brand, albeit universally negative attention. The issue for Urban Outfitters was whether/how to respond to the negative outcry against the brand for offering a sweatshirt deemed to be making light of such a horrific tragedy.

Learning Outcomes
  1. The student will be able to identify the risks and rewards of a controversial product design.
  2. The student will be able to identify and evaluate risks to brand equity from a controversial product offering using Keller’s Brand Equity Model.
  3. The student will be able to propose a course of action to respond to a controversy regarding a product offering.