Wix Negative Ads Against WordPress Generate Backlash

Wix adverse adverts attacking WordPress created a robust anti-Wix response on-line. Promotional Bose headphones despatched to builders and on-line advertising and marketing influencers as a part of the marketing campaign didn’t stop the recipients to publicly query the trouble to advertise with a adverse assault.

The marketing campaign didn’t seem to transform anybody within the WordPress neighborhood to understand Wix. The marketing campaign appeared to really backfire by inflicting many to specific adverse reactions towards Wix.

The Update Button of Doom – You Deserve Better

The Wix adverse marketing campaign gave the impression to be centered on portraying WordPress in a particularly adverse gentle within the context of a psychological well being disaster.

One video, titled The Update of Doom, was typical of the assaults in opposition to WordPress. In it an internet developer is in psychiatric counseling.

The subtext is that WordPress is so unhealthy that the online developer wants psychiatric assist.

Screenshot From Wix Ad Portraying a Web Developer in a WordPress Induced Mental Crisis

The alternative of portraying WordPress within the context of psychological well being misery is curious in gentle of the truth that so many individuals are struggling pandemic associated psychological well being crises.

According to research by the Kaiser Family Foundation:

“During the pandemic, about 4 in 10 adults within the U.S. have reported signs of hysteria or depressive dysfunction… up from one in ten adults who reported these signs from January to June 2019

…During the pandemic, a bigger than common share of younger adults (ages 18-24) report signs of hysteria and/or depressive dysfunction (56%). Compared to all adults, younger adults usually tend to report substance use (25% vs. 13%) and suicidal ideas (26% vs. 11%).”

In the Wix advert a psychiatric go to is staged for comedic impact by portraying WordPress as an insensitive one who causes psychological anguish.

Some could understand the advert as trivializing psychological well being through the use of it in a context of comedy, significantly as a result of WordPress was portrayed as a grotesquely in poor health particular person whose eyes are spinning round of their sockets.

Screenshot from Wix Ad Portraying WordPress With Eyes Spinning of their Sockets

And this was simply one among a number of adverts that have been staged as a psychological well being disaster.

Some of the responses on YouTube expressed disapproval:

“It’s shocking that Wix isn’t embarrassed to submit content material like this. Who on the planet thought that this was a good suggestion?”

“WOW, how low are you able to go, that is known as the underside of the barrel”

“Shame on you Wix. I’ve by no means thought of utilizing your providers, and by no means will.”

Search Marketing Community Responds on Twitter

The response was comparable on Twitter the place Jon Henshaw (@henshaw) expressed his disapproval with the adverse promoting strategy, remarking that solely poor merchandise are marketed on this method.

Watching this anti-@WordPress marketing campaign by @Wix and all I can take into consideration is how a lot they’re asking the universe to hack them and the way embarrassing that is going to be for them. Also, I actually dislike this advertising and marketing strategy. Typically, I solely see inferior merchandise market this manner.

— Jon Henshaw (@henshaw) April 7, 2021

John additionally famous that the Wix adverts could have erased the goodwill Wix had been constructing throughout the web optimization neighborhood:

What’s attention-grabbing to me is that for the previous yr or so there was a sentiment that Wix was courting SEOs and bettering itself.

By shitting on WP, a beloved and oft-used CMS by many SEOs, it erases any goodwill created. And many people SEOs affect which CMS a enterprise chooses.

— Jon Henshaw (@henshaw) April 7, 2021

Wix Campaign Described as Distasteful

Shelly Fagin (@shellyfagin), a recipient of the headphone promotion additionally tweeted that her expectation was to listen to about constructive issues about Wix solely to be confronted with a adverse assault marketing campaign, calling it distasteful.

As a headphone receiver, I used to be completely confused by all of it. I anticipated to be offered data about new options and/or fixes that may make it extra interesting to me. I’m not a fan of bashing others to advertise myself so it felt very distasteful to me.

— Shelly Fagin (@shellyfagin) April 7, 2021

Michelle Lowery (@MichelleDLowery) disapproved of adverse messaging:

Wow. I hadn’t seen any of these movies but. This jogs my memory of politicians going the adverse marketing campaign route. Don’t inform me how terrible the opposite candidate is. That means nothing. Tell me what *you are* going to do for me. I can determine for myself with out the mud slinging.

— Michelle Lowery (@MichelleDLowery) April 7, 2021

Positive Campaigns and Goodwill

One of the hallmarks of a valued model is the goodwill that prospects and even non-customers lengthen to the corporate. While the response to the adverts weren’t universally adverse, a substantial amount of the responses have been. Many expressed disappointment within the strategy taken by Wix.

Watch the Wix Negative Attack Ad: The Update of Doom