Typos often occur due to tight deadlines, complex workflows, or the lack of a streamlined proofing process. Traditional methods of proofing copy and creative content such as paper copies being mark-up manually, or emails being passed back-and-forth are prone to miscommunication, overlooked details and human error.
In one of the most infamous typos in history, a printing error in the Bible omitted the word "not" from the Seventh Commandment, leading it to read, "Thou shalt commit adultery." The printers were fined £300 (equivalent to tens of thousands of pounds today), and most copies were destroyed.
The impact: This blunder tarnished the reputation of the printers and became a cautionary tale about the importance of proofreading sacred texts.
A simple error in converting metric units to imperial units caused NASA’s Mars Climate Orbiter to crash. The spacecraft, designed to study Mars’ climate, was lost due to this oversight, resulting in a $125 million financial loss.
The impact: This mistake emphasized the critical need for meticulous reviews, especially in technical and scientific fields.
A restaurant in China unintentionally listed “fried children” instead of “fried chicken” on its English menu due to a translation error.
The impact: Although it didn’t have a direct financial impact, the public relations embarrassment drew widespread ridicule online, tarnishing the restaurant's reputation.
Mizuho Securities in Japan attempted to sell one share of J-Com Co. for ¥610,000 but instead listed 610,000 shares at ¥1 each due to a typographical error.
The impact: The error cost the company a staggering $225 million and remains one of the most expensive financial typos in history.
Italian airline Alitalia mistakenly offered business-class tickets from Toronto to Cyprus for $39 instead of $3,900.
The impact: Thousands of travelers purchased the tickets before the airline corrected the error, costing Alitalia approximately $7.2 million.
A typo in the Yellow Pages listed a travel agent as an “erotic” photographer instead of an “exotic” one.
The impact: The error cost the travel agent their business due to the embarrassing misunderstanding, and Pacific Bell, the publisher, settled a $10 million lawsuit.
A trader accidentally keyed in a massive order worth billions, causing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to plummet nearly 1,000 points in minutes.
The impact: While most losses were recovered, the incident demonstrated the potential for catastrophic financial impacts due to simple human errors.
GoProof, is the complete end-to-end online proofing solution. Users are able to manage and approve creative content, from initial concept, through the complex rounds of review and feedback, to final sign off and product delivery.
GoProof also has the added functionality of integrating seamlessly into leading project management platforms such as monday.com and Asana to provide a collaborative and centralized hub for creative proofing. With features like real-time feedback, audit trails, smart compare, checklists and version control, creative teams can rest assured that every piece of content is always error-free before it’s published.
Collaboration in Context: Simplify team feedback with a centralized system.
Audit Trails for Accountability: Track every change and ensure compliance.
Integration with Your Workflow: Use GoProof alongside existing project management tools like monday.com for a cohesive experience.
Investing in a robust proofing workflow isn’t just about avoiding mistakes—it’s about safeguarding your client or brand’s reputation and bottom line.
Smart Proofing. Faster Approvals. GoProof.
