It started off as an embarrassing situation for The Denver Post. The only major daily newspaper serving the Denver metro area published a Colorado Rockies 25th anniversary Opening Day story with a very large photo of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia instead of the Rockies’ Coors Field. ESPN and Sports Illustrated, among others, highlighted the error, and droves of people took to social media to call out the mistake and disparage the outlet’s reputation. The memes started flying.
But The Denver Post editorial staff acted swiftly and professionally – turning the gaffe into an opportunity to engage the public. They formally admitted and apologized for the error and issued a social media contest in response, asking readers to submit their best photo of Coors Field via Twitter or Instagram for a chance to win two front-row tickets to the Rockies game on Monday versus the San Diego Padres. They also added that, “With your help, we might finally know what Coors Field looks like.”
Following the newspaper’s instructions, hundreds of people have flocked to Twitter and Instagram today to post their “best” photos along with the hashtag #ThisIsCoorsField. The Post successfully turned a difficult moment into something positive with humor that reflects the publication’s level of integrity and dedication to its readership – and perhaps even attracted more readers as a result of their chosen response.
Best of luck to the Post’s photo editors, who will likely have their hands full this weekend selecting the winning photo.