Nestle ́'s "playing tricks" marketing angers migrant workers: kneeling and volunteering to work overtime

Why did Nestle ́'s chocolate marketing "flip"?

Recently, Nestle ́'s chocolate products suffered a marketing "rollover" incident. Some netizens shared a promotional copy of Nestle ́'s chocolate on social platforms. The copy said "I am voluntarily working overtime", and attached a picture of the villain kneeling on the ground. The copy and the picture caused dissatisfaction among many consumers, and many netizens said they felt "uncomfortable". Some consumers believed that Nestle ́'s irony did not use the appropriate picture. Others said that the company wanted to play tricks, but did not really understand the migrant workers.

Zhang Shule, an internet industry analyst, believes that Nestle ́'s lack of understanding of young consumers is the main reason for the "complaining" of marketing. Zhang Shule pointed out that "young people play tricks with irony. Individuals can say that overtime is happy, but if the merchant says this, it is easy to make everyone feel uncomfortable. In addition, chocolate is a product that replenishes energy and refreshes the mind."

There is a view that Nestle ́'s marketing team may be too "close to young consumers" to ignore the brand's own positioning and tone. Chocolate is a snack food that is not highly related to hard work scenes. Combining chocolate with "voluntary overtime" can easily arouse consumer resentment.

In addition, there are also problems with Nestle ́'s copywriting and accompanying pictures. "I am willing to work overtime" in the copywriting is a self-deprecating expression, but the kneeling villain in the accompanying pictures gives people a feeling of humility and helplessness, which does not match the tone of the copywriting. Coupled with the refreshing effect of chocolate, consumers feel that the copywriting is "mocking" migrant workers.

Overall, Nestlé's marketing "rollover" incident reflects the need for companies to fully understand the needs and psychology of their target audience when conducting marketing activities, pay attention to the positioning and tone of the brand, and use trendy elements and irony carefully.