The Great Facebook IPO - Facebook, as the largest and most mainstream of the social media networks of
Web 2.0, proudly led the way as an example of a free online service that could make legitimate revenue through advertising. But the recession and a general lack of enthusiasm from investors saw a 30% drop in its share price following its $104bn (£66bn) flotation in May - a very damp squib for founder Mark Zuckerberg.
LOCOG Olympics - Britain's much-heralded Olympic legacy did not pass by without some controversy, with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG) being dubbed as "brand police" for their somewhat heavy-handed approach towards perceived misuse of the Olympic logo, insignia and branding. Non-official sponsors were not allowed to be displayed in the Olympic village, and independent retailers across the UK were told in no uncertain terms to remove any unofficial Olympic paraphernalia - with baked goods and flowers arranged as the Olympic rings coming under particular scrutiny.
Google leaked shares fiasco - Google's third quarter results were leaked into the public domain hours ahead of schedule, which, coupled with the information inside, panicked investors so much so that shares plunged 9%. In a year where Google has moved from strength-to-strength against its competitors and revenues had grown 45%, its 20% drop in net income (accidentally published by Google's PR firm without authorisation) spooked the stock market into wiping $20bn off its market value - and back behind Microsoft.
Yahoo CEO fakes CV - Chief executive of internet giant Yahoo! Scott Thompson has stepped down from his role after just four months at the helm after it was revealed that he had faked a qualification on his CV before he took the position. Yahoo has continued to struggle since its original dominance during the 'dot-com' boom of the early 2000s, and a comedy of errors by executives has continued to damage the brand.
#waitrosereasons -Supermarket retailer Waitrose fell victim to their own marketing initiatives as Twitter users hijacked the hashtag "waitrose reasons" with a variety of insults and satire. Designed for consumers to demonstrate what they enjoyed about their shopping experience with the brand, the ridicule actually propelled the marketing scheme into national newspapers and became something of a hit, reinforcing its 'upmarket' image other retailers lack. Perhaps this is what Waitrose PR had in mind all along?
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