Brands want to build a relationship with people, and just like real relationships, there are going to be rough patches. And break ups. And make ups.
There are so many things that can turn people off from a brand - a bad customer service experience, poor product quality, a change in policy, an offensive ad or something as little as a change in the packaging or logo. (Or is that just me?)
Then brands have to do the ultimate "please forgive me" crawl and beg customers to like them again.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. (I've never forgiven Walmart for their hundreds of indiscretions but for some reason have forgiven Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie for being generally horrible.)
Sometimes the apology 1. Gets people more mad 2. Let's people who didn't know you effed up before know that you effed up. So it can work against you in the end. Especially coming from a big brand with rich shareholders and owners who you and I both know don't give a damn about us. Tell them MJ)
And sometimes the things people are complaining about aren't really that serious. (Like being mad Ellen is gay, and that time Samuel Jackson said damn.)
At the end of the day, as a creative, you want to save your brand (and your job) so you do what you can to make amends and get back on people's good side.
Assignment: Think of any brands that need to give an apology right about now and come up with a campaign to help them regain the public's love.
Here are three examples of apology ads that aren't the worst.
JC Penney
Dominos
GM
