3 of the scariest marketing mistakes of 2025 and how to avoid them

It’s spooky season; a downright frightening time of year. And no, we’re not just talking about Q4. In the spirit of Halloween, we’ve rounded up three of the scariest marketing mistakes we've seen play out through 2025, plus tips on how to avoid them in case you encounter any of these malevolent energies while ideating your next campaign.   

It’s competitive out there – brands are trying all kinds of things to stay top-of-mind and disruptive in spaces that just keep getting more crowded.  

But you don’t have to run for your life. Mistakes aren’t monsters: they might be scary, but they’re very real. Luckily, it’s not just the final girl that comes face-to-face with one and lives to tell the tale. With the right research, these horrifying happenings never need to be repeated... 

1. The Vanity Metric Vampire 

The victim:

• When American Eagle launched its controversial "Good Jeans" campaign with Sydney Sweeney earlier this year, it racked up millions of views within days, and was met with some less-than-friendly fire. The ad was roasted online and the buzz quickly turned into intense backlash.   

Why it's scary:

• Virality doesn’t always equal viability. Chasing attention without substance can suck the life out of your brand’s credibility and trust. 

How to survive:

• Measure what matters. Engagement means nothing if it doesn’t align with your brand values or move your audience toward genuine connection. Before launching your next big idea, ask: Would we be proud of this if it only got 100 views? 

2. The Uncanny Campaign 

The victim:

• Meta rolled out and almost immediately rolled back a series of AI chatbots with corresponding profiles for users to interact with – a cast of characters intended to appeal to a diverse user base. Instead, users quickly deemed them as “creepy”, with one commenter pointing out that “Literally nobody asked for this.” 

Why it's scary:

• The chatbots eroded user trust, especially after CNN reporters released screenshots of one chatbot – “Grandpa Brian” – revealing data about other users and turning against its creators at Meta, saying that they “lied by omission” about bots. 

How to survive:

• Avoid tricks – stick to treats. Foster a culture of transparency around AI products and usage, especially as a tech company. Consider what users really want, or better yet, find out with real-world testing before you actually launch. 

3. The Ghosted Audience

The victim:

• E.l.f. Cosmetics learned the hard way the cost of alienating their audience when they relied on numbers alone rather than gleaning real customer sentiment before launching their campaign with controversial comedian Matt Rife. 

Why it's scary:

• Marketing isn’t strictly a numbers game. Testing resonance with actual audiences is key, and one wrong step can land you in murky waters that are difficult to navigate once consumers get a bad feeling.  

How to survive:

• Build feedback loops, listen when your audience talks back, and show up consistently even when things get uncomfortable. And most importantly, test your ideas and get to know who your audience really is.

Don’t go out there alone... 

In the intimidating world of modern marketing, mistakes happen, but they don’t have to be fatal. 

The brands that survive aren’t the ones who never mess up; they’re the ones who listen and learn with real-world insights so they can venture out bravely or come back smarter next time. So keep your strategy sharp, data fresh, and nightlight on.