Did you hear the one about the ride-hailing company which got bashed online? Well, this time, it’s the turn of Angkas to be at the receiving end.
Just over a week after ride-hailing and logistics platform Grab was called out for using photos of celebrities amid the Gerald-Julia-Bea controversy, motorcycle ride-hailing app Angkas is now at the receiving end of some netizens’ criticisms following another marketing strategy that went horribly wrong.
In an attempt at promotion, Angkas on Tuesday tweeted a promo likening sex to its ride-hailing service, which eventually blew up online – becoming a marketing nightmare.
“Angkas is like sex. It’s scary the first time pero masarap na ulit-ulitin (but it’s enjoyable to do repeatedly),” Angkas tweeted.
Although some netizens regarded it as a harmless joke, many took the tweet as an offensive remark, another social media blunder. Previously, Angkas has been known to connect well with its audience through wittily crafted social media content.
As Angkas’ controversial tweet went viral, the Philippine National Police called the attention of the company, describing the tweet as “not acceptable to commuters.”
“Matatakot ang tao sa Angkas pag ganito (People will be wary of Angkas because of this). This is not promoting public safety in transport business anymore,“ the PNP said.
This prompted Angkas to delete its tweet and release a public apology on Thursday morning.
“We would like to emphasize that making our riders feel uncomfortable is the last thing we want to do. For this, we sincerely apologize,“ the company said in a statement.
“Safety has always been our brand’s priority, and we apologize for how our recent tweet has made users feel unsafe and cast doubt on the integrity of our service. Words and analogies are meant to help us connect with our audience, but in this case, we’ve missed the mark. We take full responsibility for this misstep,” it added.