LinkedIn’s 9/11 Marketing Fail

On Sept. 10, Apple will announce its new iPhone. Comedian Bill Burr’s special “Paper Tiger” will hit Netflix on that day — also time for Team17’s video game “Blasphemous” to launch, and Margaret Atwood’s highly awaited novel “The Testaments” to publish.

Sept. 10 is a big day. It’s after Labor Day, just as the fall season is heating up. And, most importantly, it’s NOT Sept. 11.

Because that day is now caught in a strange and painful limbo. It’s not a national holiday. It’s not officially part of any memorial or remembrance. And yet, it’s a day that requires something — at the very least, silence from the marketing world.

Which is why the email from LinkedIn caught me by surprise.

“Hi Steven, You’re invited to get an exclusive look at upcoming product and feature releases from LinkedIn Marketing Solutions. Join us on September 11th for a live webinar where we’ll walk you through upcoming product features and how to use them to achieve your marketing goals.”

Really? Did someone in marketing look at the calendar and say “Well, we can’t do the 10th, or the 12th, so what about Sept. 11? That seems like a day when customers will be excited to hear about New LinkedIn features.”

The letter was signed by Arjun Desai, product marketing manager, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions.