Remember earlier this year when McDonalds started that #McDStories hashtag that had everyone reminiscing about pink slime, more than chicken in their nuggets, and kitchen critters? Harnessing technology can have great marketing potential in the right hands, but a simple mistake can be epically embarrassing for a brand.

In Illinois last year, the idea to put a QR code on a highway billboard somehow passed through the marketing team at Volkswagen and made it into fruition. As most of the world can see how this might be a dangerous idea and a waste of money for VW, QR codes work best in places viewers can reach- safely.

HTC failed big time when they released a video to promote its newest phone. In conjunction with Funny or Die, they created a satirical video, which ended up insulting the intelligence of their customers. They pulled this and all associated videos a few days after their launch.

Lattice Engines has compiled some of the most memorable marketing #fails, along with tips to avoid these potential pitfalls, in the infographic below. These examples show that new technologies require new training, and marketing should be left to the professionals.