Media and digital pundits have urged agencies and brands to be cautious about their online communications and advertisements involving sensitive issues, as they can backfire and jeopardise their images.
The call comes amid a series of communication missteps by brands, including a fresh backlash against e-commerce platform Lazada, which commissioned an online ad from an influencer that was criticised for mocking the disabled.
The controversial ad promoted Lazada's 5.5 shopping festival campaign. Intersect Design Factory, a media agency, was assigned to coordinate the production of video clips to promote the event through social media and influencers.
A renowned transgender influencer known as Nara Crepe Katoey was contacted by Intersect to perform in the ad, which was shown on her TikTok account.
The ad, which depicts Nara and a wheelchair-bound woman having fun and joking around with each other, drew intense criticism from many people online, including those who believe the outfit worn by the disabled person intentionally targets the royal family.
Both Intersect and Lazada later issued an apology for the incident and removed the ad.
Pawat Ruangdejworachai, president of Media Intelligence, a media planning and creative agency, said the digital world moves fast and "if there is a mistake, social sanction or condemnation happens immediately overnight. Marketers need to know how to deal with it with care."
The Lazada case provided a lesson on how cautious brands need to be when using influencers for their promotions, particularly nano- or micro-influencers, he said.
"Brands can control messages and ad policies when they use big budgets to hire celebrities or powerful influencers in campaigns," Mr Pawat said. "But when brands focus more on segmented targets, with budget constraints in a sluggish economy, they may not be able to control micro- or nano-influencers."
Brands need to audit all content to avoid incidents that could harm their reputations, he said.
Pawoot Pongvitayapanu, an e-commerce and digital pundit, said brands need to conduct background checks on the attitudes of influencers they want to hire. Lazada attempted to attract young customers by using influencers, but this backfired, he said.
"Influencer agencies and brands need to approve the content first before releasing it to the public," said Mr Pawoot.
He said the presenters reflect the brand value.
"If the brand value needs to be neutral, the presenters need to reflect this as well," said Mr Pawoot.
Brands also need a crisis management team that can interact with top management to deal with incidents. Social media and digital administrators of brands need to be trained on how to respond to sensitive issues, he said.
Given the backlash, brands need to be cautious, particularly when moving into social media, said Mr Pawoot.
Maureen Tan, chief executive of Wunderman Thompson Thailand, a marketing communication agency, said brands need to check influencers' backgrounds and select those who are aligned with their values.
Overseas brands often sign contracts with influencers that prevent them from touching on sensitive issues such as religion and politics to prevent a backlash, she said.
To deal with crises, brands need to issue an apology and explanation to rebuild their reputation, Ms Tan said. For social media communication it is hard to filter all content, but a spokesperson in line with the brand's values can be selected for every channel, she said.
