When roasts go rogue and death stunts backfire: Viral moments that didn't land

Kanye West and his wife, Bianca Censori, recently found themselves in hot water at the 2025 Grammy Awards. Bianca's attempt to make a statement with a bold outfit backfired, leaving the audience more bewildered than impressed. While Kanye’s antics are nothing new, they serve as a reminder that even the most calculated PR stunts can go awry. This isn’t just happening to Kanye West—Indian brands and global influencers have had their fair share of misfires, proving that when it comes to publicity, there’s a fine line between genius and gaffe.

From fake deaths to robotic endorsements, the world of influencer marketing is riddled with examples of campaigns that missed the mark. Let’s dive into some of the most infamous PR stunts that went sideways, leaving brands red-faced and audiences scratching their heads.

Poonam Pandey’s “death” stunt

Closer to home, model and actor Poonam Pandey shocked the nation with a fake death announcement aimed at raising awareness about cervical cancer. While the stunt did succeed in making “cervical cancer” a top Google search term, it also sparked outrage for its insensitivity. The digital agency behind the campaign, Schbang, issued an apology, but the damage was done. Though well-intentioned, the campaign left a bitter taste, proving that shock value can sometimes overshadow the message. As they say, “fake it till you make it” doesn’t always apply—especially when it involves something as serious as cancer.

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Unacademy’s roast gone rogue

Ed-tech platform Unacademy decided to celebrate its ninth anniversary with a grand event featuring stand-up comedian Samay Raina. Known for his sharp wit, Raina didn’t hold back, roasting the brand with jabs about its competitors and even suggesting a takeover by rival Allen. While the event was meant to be lighthearted, Raina’s relentless digs left the brand in an awkward spot. Viral clips of his roast served as a reminder that when you invite a comedian to your party, be prepared for them to steal the show—and not always in your favor.

Kendall Jenner and Pepsi’s tone-deaf ad

Kendall Jenner’s infamous Pepsi ad in 2017. The commercial, which showed Jenner handing a can of Pepsi to a police officer during a protest, was meant to promote unity and peace. Instead, it was widely criticized for trivializing social justice movements like Black Lives Matter. The backlash was so severe that Pepsi had to pull the ad within 24 hours and issue an apology. The lesson? When your attempt to be “woke” ends up being a snooze, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Jio’s copy-paste fiasco

Reliance Jio’s grand launch campaign, #CelebratingJio, was meant to be a star-studded affair. However, it quickly turned into a social media disaster when celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan tweeted identical congratulatory messages. The glaring copy-paste error made the campaign look robotic and insincere, prompting backlash from netizens. This blunder highlighted the importance of authenticity in influencer marketing—because nothing screams “fake” like a carbon-copy tweet from your favorite star.

Tata Tea’s #FruskiLeak

Tata Tea’s collaboration with comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath for their #FruskiLeak campaign was meant to be a quirky take on their new product launch. However, the brand’s rigid script stripped Biswa of his signature humor, resulting in a bland and overly promotional campaign. The hashtag, which promised behind-the-scenes content, fell flat, leaving audiences unimpressed. The lesson here is simple: when you hire a comedian, let them be funny—otherwise, you’re just pouring cold water on your own campaign.

Google Pixel’s iPhone blunder: Anushka Sharma’s costly mistake

Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma’s promotion of Google Pixel’s camera quality took an unexpected turn when she accidentally uploaded the post using an iPhone. The error, which highlighted the brand’s competitor, became the talk of the town, overshadowing the campaign’s intent. This slip-up underscores the importance of attention to detail in influencer marketing—because even the smallest mistake can lead to a pixelated reputation.

Mahindra’s XUV700 campaign

Mahindra’s campaign for the XUV700 aimed to celebrate diversity and inclusivity by featuring influencers from various backgrounds. On paper, it sounded like a progressive and heartfelt initiative. However, the execution left much to be desired. The campaign relied heavily on surface-level representation—showcasing influencers from different ethnicities, professions, and lifestyles—but failed to weave a deeper, meaningful narrative around their stories.

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Consumers quickly called out the campaign for being performative, accusing it of reducing inclusivity to a mere box-ticking exercise. Instead of fostering genuine connections, the campaign came across as shallow and opportunistic. The lack of authentic storytelling made it feel like Mahindra was more interested in appearing inclusive than actually embracing it.

Snapchat’s influencer misfire

Snapchat’s attempt to promote its new app features through influencer marketing is a classic example of how things can go wrong when there’s a disconnect between the brand and its ambassadors. The platform enlisted a host of influencers to generate buzz and excitement around its latest updates. However, many of these influencers didn’t genuinely engage with the platform or use its features regularly, making their endorsements feel forced and insincere. The campaign failed to achieve the desired engagement, leaving Snapchat with little to show for its efforts.

In the world of influencer marketing, the stakes are high, and the margin for error is slim. While these campaigns may have missed the mark, they offer valuable lessons for brands and influencers alike. After all, in the race for attention, it’s better to be remembered for the right reasons than to trend for all the wrong ones.