Insurance firm ‘sorry’ after buying keyword Malaysia Airlines on Google
An insurance firm has apologised for buying the keyword Malaysia Airlines on Google Adwords and running an ad saying ‘Is MH17 Malaysian Airlines tragedy a sign to consider life insurance’? following this morning’s disaster.
The ads for Victoria-based Lisa Group appeared above stories of the tragedy – in which 298 people died, including 27 Australians, when people searched for the term Malaysia Airlines.
The ads appeared on searches of Malaysian Airlines, indicating Google Adwords had been bought with the aim of driving traffic to the Lisa Group site.
Lisa Group shifted responsibility for the ads to its overseas partner which handles the search engine marketing and produce leads for the insurance firm.
Disgusting.
I know my example below is the result of an algorithm, rather than specifically selecting ad copy like the example above, but Google Adsense ads have been showing Browne Brothers Funeral ads against News articles today – eg http://imgur.com/pDIrDO7
Different cause, same poor taste result.
Shocked beyond words
Isn’t this how newspapers make their $?
I would assume it’s the same “Warren” mentioned in the site’s disclaimer:
“Disclaimer: Warren Lazarus (ABN 32 871 415 956) trading as LISA Group is an authorised representative of CHPW Financial Pty Ltd AFSL 280201.”
That, combined with the Google Authorship account tied to the website of “Warren Lazarus” kind of hints that way…
A case of moral compass pointing to $
Idiots.
Yes I thought it was a bit insensitive to run a yarn on the best was to handle a disaster from a PR perspective so early in the piece. Thought it was me who was out of touch.
Obviously, the plan crash is a tradgedy. While I don’t condone the predatory practice of piggy-backing a disaster, I’m not judgemental enough to call it “disgusting”. So, while it may not be great on the moral surface, I had no idea who Lisa Group was before reading this article, so the underlying outcome is effective awareness. You can’t buy the mileage they’re getting out of this. I wouldn’t fire the PR firm, I’d give them a bonus!
A cold-calling life insurance saleswoman friend of mine told me her best sales day was when Brendan Keilar was shot in the Melbourne CBD trying to help a stranger.
Opportunistic and galling as it is, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if this approach worked for them.
oops
Pure class
thats completely awful!
big disgrace
Hope they made enough money out of it to offset the negative publicity….
Does Mumbrella not know the difference between SEO and paid search?
Brings up an interesting topic- what responsibility does Google have in allowing such an inappropriate campaign go live in its environment, when were supposed to be living in an age of ever-innovative audience and as targeting capabilities??
And to the Lisa Group – you are idiots. All press is NOT good press, and if you think people will buy life insurance from a company with this non existent level of taste, you are kidding yourself. Insurance is about trust and security, which this company’s behaviour shows they don’t have..,
Shame Shame Shame everyone needs to call ASIC on Monday morning and reporting this fool. He needs to lose is job how dare they try to profit off the death of 295 people scum scum scum
I’m posting this here, as “the 5 steps Malaysia airlines should take”, is missing.) Well done mumbrella. As the self appointed moral police of our industry, it would be helpful to understand how and why you felt the need to respond to the backlash of the said post with; “Thanks for your feedback. As you will know, this happened while many of us in Australia were still asleep…” ? Ok so you established we were all asleep when it this tragic incident happened. Was Tim Burrowes and Alex Hayes asleep when their twitters accounts, presumably and magically on their own account thought they would endorse the topical and tactical nature of this story with a retweet. Bravo. Bravo.
Hi Slow Clap,
We did decide to remove the article, and as I explained in the comment thread which is still available on the site it followed the decision by The Conversation, and also acknowledged the timing was insensitive.
Cheers,
Alex – editor, Mumbrella
This is the world we live in, where people take advantage of others misfortunes. In a few weeks this will all be forgotten… Back to the usual crap. This sort of thing will keep happening as greed is everywhere. Nothing ever changes.
Anthony, I find that kind of comment frustrating.. Malaysia airlines has also increased their brand awareness then in that case, haven’t they? I’m sure Malaysia airlines “can’t buy” the sort of “mileage” they are getting – their logo splashed across the entire world’s media… Have a think about it!
It seems Lisa Group hasn’t learnt and there apology hasn’t worked as I received a random call on Monday and a follow up email regarding life insurance. I’m flying to Amsterdam next week on Malaysian Airlines. A referral to any regulator of consumer law on this matter will end in a bureaucratic discussion about my frustration only.
Did the insurance company do the wrong thing? I don’t think anyone has any evidence that they approved this and intended any insensitivity. They employed a marketing company to advertise their business and it did so. A lot of these companies use an algorithm to calculate trends and the costs to be part of these trends. I don’t see anything in here asking how it happened. I wish we lived in a world that punished people for ill intent rather than offending people unintentionally. Cause and effect rather than potential outcomes.
Ozbloke28 – algorithms?, pffffft. Id rather the words governance, ethics, controls and integrity. Your response tells me Im dealing with a computer than humans and thats the fundamental issue. Ignorance doesnt pass for innocense.
Ozbloke, if the insurance company put out a communication piece, intentionally or unintentionally, and are now being considered in a negative way – regardless of who’s to blame, that’s a failure in their communications strategy.
@OzBloke
Come on! Profit driven insurance firms, who issue their customers with pages upon pages of small print, terms and conditions that suit their interest, care only about one thing: manipulating people to make buckets of cash. Don’t you forget that sir, do not forget that and do remember that they will generally take any given angle they can to get a shoe in and make more money.