Printing Errors: A bad example and how to avoid them

Earlier this year the giant online retailer ASOS printed almost 20,000 plastic bags with a pretty big typo on it.

The original message was supposed to be  œASOS discover fashion online , but the company wrongly wrote  œonilne .

Unsurprisingly, the internet went crazy   both negatively and positively.

Realising the mistake and instead of recalling the bags and/or submitting an apology, the brand went one further.

ASOS tweeted a picture of the infamous bag with the caption:  œOk, so we *may* have printed 17,000 bags with a typo. We ‘re calling it a limited edition. 

Shortly after, the tweet received almost 50,000 likes and 9,000 retweets! Not only that: customers loved it and were either mocking the brand or trying to place an order to get one of the limited-edition bags!

This incident teaches us two really important lessons: how to avoid a potential crisis and how a crisis could have been avoided in the first place.

The fast and humorous response shows that the brand knows its customers and was prepared to transform a potential negative situation into an opportunity.

Most importantly, the typo could have been avoided if a safety check were carried out to make sure no mistakes passed through the final stages of the printing process.

This is especially important for businesses that want to convey a more serious and professional image.

A typo would not have been accepted with as much good humour by the clients of a large law firm, for instance. It may give a bad impression and a sense of carelessness and unprofessionalism.

We at CDP follow every printing project from start to finish, ensuring all goes according to the plan! From the communications strategy, to design, print   and copy proofreading!

If you need an extra pair of hands for your communications needs, drop us an email: info@cdp.co.uk.