Just when you think you’ve seen everything in marketing, something comes along that leaves you with your jaw hanging open. Sometimes it’s a ‘wow, why didn’t I think of that?’ jaw drop. And sometimes it’s crap like this.

Source: Fluid Hair Facebook page

This is real campaign from Fluid Hair in Edmonton, previously named one of the best salons in the city by SEE Magazine. I guess their stylists must have a better sense of decorum than their ad agency! What you see above is an image from Fluid’s Facebook page of one of their ad campaigns, featuring the slogan “Look good in all you do”. You are not seeing things, that is indeed a woman with a black eye about to receive a make-good gift from a man who is presumably her abuser.

I don’t usually use this blog to take bad advertising to task, but this is so far beyond the pale I felt I had to. Because if we are all quiet when something like this happens, it continues to happen. My hands are actually shaking as I type this. The famously sexist 1950s ad agencies would stop short of this.

I imagine that whoever did these ads told Fluid Hair it was ‘edgy’ and ‘exciting’. Some of the photo set is pretty cool; there are women with great hair working in the trades, serving tea, revving motorcycles…you get the idea. And then there are a couple where the concept completely went off the rails. Aside from the ‘sofa’ scene, there’s a homeless girl (because what’s NOT sexy about living on an abandoned mattress in an alley?) and a woman unloading a corpse from a hearse into a forest (because murder! lol!)

Here are the images I’m referencing, for your perusal. I’ve taken the liberty of using screenshots from the original source because I suspect this is going to disappear by tomorrow.

Source: Fluid Hair Facebook page

Source: Fluid Hair Facebook page

Some people would have you believe that all press is good press. As a marketer (and as a human being with feelings), I can tell you this is not true. This kind of thing might get you a lot of attention, but it will also undoubtedly hurt your brand. This is how boycotts start. Even setting aside the complete tastelessness of this campaign, it’s a huge marketing mistake.

If you feel the same way, I urge you to reach out to Fluid Hair on their Facebook page and tell them you’re not onboard with co-opting others’ pain and suffering to try to sell services.

UPDATE: According to Fluid Hair we’re all just oversensitive and don’t appreciate ‘art’. Well, good thing we got that cleared up! So I guess Fluid needs a new agency and a new PR person. (Hint: The appropriate thing to do is apologize profusely.)

UPDATE 2: #boycottFluidHair seems to be the hashtag of the pro-boycott crowd, if you want in on that.

UPDATE 3: Fluid Hair has taken the murder and  domestic violence photos down from their Facebook page (Oops! They are still up. My error, sorry! Two of the questionable ads are absent from their website, though.). Since the Facebook edit may still come, you can view all three on my server here: murder, domestic violence, homeless.

UPDATE 4: I just noticed that the corpse legs coming out of the hearse/murder photo are the homeless girl’s! While I suspect that’s just reusing a model (I hope), it does add a new level of WTF.

UPDATE 5: This just never stops. Elsewhere on Fluid Hair’s Facebook page, a photo of the battered woman look getting created. The caption: hottest battered woman I’ve ever laid my eyes upon. Screenshot:

UPDATE 6: General consensus in the comments is that the shoot concept and the models are all from the salon itself. Please note that without a statement from the salon I can’t 100% confirm, but it does look likely. See update #7! Actually this whole debacle is a great reason to make sure you have a reputable ad agency.

Update to Update #6 – Cameron (salon owner) was quoted on CTV saying “Everybody’s getting on me about, ‘well how would you feel if you knew someone who was in domestic violence?’ The producer of this shoot, the one who styled it all, she grew up in it.” Which suggests there was in fact some manner of outside influence on this ad. Regardless, the salon remains at fault for approving the images/concept.

UPDATE 7: Ryan Jesperson from Breakfast TV has confirmed Sarah Cameron and publicist Tiffany Jackson are behind the ad, no outside ad agency is involved.

In other news, Fluid has finally released an official response on their Facebook page. Among other things, it notes that they “respect everyone’s interpretation of what they perceive the message to be”, suggests the media should pay attention to other more important issues and reminds us we’re all dumb to be offended and why aren’t we doing anything for domestic violence charities? You know, just like they….oh wait, they didn’t do anything for domestic violence until this ad blew up. They now promise anyone that mentioning the ad will make your service fee go to the Edmonton Women’s Shelter. I’m sure they’re thrilled to be associated with this garbage.

UPDATE 8: Tiffany Jackson, the publicist behind the shoot has posted a reaction from her mother on Fluid’s Facebook page. I am assuming she agrees with it, since she posted it. It alleges that by ruining the salon’s business we are all committing a crime not unlike domestic violence. As usual, screencapped for posterity.

UPDATE 9: And we have the Tiffany Jackson letter @FluidHair_Sarah posted earlier today. Many people have been blocked from this by Facebook (don’t know why, as Sarah Cameron seems to have intended to make it public?)

Tiffany herself is a survivor of domestic violence, which she talks about in the letter. She seems to think that the objection is to the artistic portrayal of the woman, while I would argue it’s that they’re using that image to sell hair services with the slogan “Look good in all you do.” I haven’t seen anyone argue that we shouldn’t have seen this image. It is indeed a shocking one, and it does make you think. It’s the link to co-opting pain and suffering of millions to serve a business that has people angry.

Before you read Tiffany’s letter, I would be remiss to miss the chance to link to this fabulous open letter from Lily Tsui of the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton.

Here is a screenshot of Tiffany Jackson’s letter from my email. Source is protected but reputable. Posting full size would break my blog, so you’ll have to click the image to view it in its entirety.

UPDATE 10: Here’s a screenshot of Sarah Cameron’s latest note on the Fluid Hair Facebook page. The highlight is “It seems as though the subject matter and photo series itself is accepted by people if it wasn’t an ad.” YES THAT IS EXACTLY IT.

UPDATE 11: I never expected this much traffic to this post. I even had to upgrade my hosting package to accommodate everyone. So I’ve decided to put that traffic to use. I’ve started a fundraising page for domestic violence on GoFundMe. I’m asking everyone who views this and is angry about it to donate the price of your next haircut to The Bad Ad Fund, and Yes That Jill (that’s me, folks) will split the money between the YWCA Edmonton and WIN House.

WIN House (Edmonton Women’s Shelter) operates two shelters in the city for women fleeing domestic violence. YWCA works all to end domestic violence, and promote leadership and economic security for women and girls.

Don’t let this ad get you down, instead lift others up – if you can’t afford a haircut’s worth, a couple bucks will do! Let’s make it rain. Thanks.