Twitter Hall of Shame: 8 blunders from years past

The social network turned five this week, and everyone is patting it on the back. Oh, how easily we forget all the headaches it has caused.

That’s why PR pros often cringe at the Twitter blunder.

With everyone spouting off in such a public forum, we’re all a bad idea and 140 characters (or fewer) away from becoming the object of public scorn.

Just ask these poor bastards:

1. James Andrews.
There’s insulting a person—and then there’s insulting the city he loves and the company that pays his mortgage. In January 2009, Ketchum VP James Andrews learned this the hard way. Shortly after arriving in Memphis, home of then-client FedEx, Andrews tweeted: “True confession but I’m in one of those towns where I scratch my head and say I would die if I had to live here!” Andrews apologized; Ketchum apologized. FedEx let it go, but luckily we haven’t. (Andrews left in Ketchum in June 2009 to join the startup world.)

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.