Hails & Fails – July 1st 2022
We officially usher in the month of July today, and there have been PR wins galore grabbing headlines this week. Travel brand Airbnb launched a fund for home designers, discount supermarket Poundland launched even more items for £1 and social media sensation Khaby Lame simply shrugged as he became the world’s most followed TikTok account. It was not the best of weeks for The Captain Tom Moore charity fund however, after an inquiry was launched into the handling of its finances.
HAILS
Airbnb to pay £80K for a “wild home” design
Airbnb has launched a new competition to encourage budding designers, architects and hosts to build a rental home that’s either weird or wonderful.
And they are willing to splash out over £80K for the creation of this “wild home” – the more imaginative the better.
The only rule is that it’s got to make people go ‘OMG!’
Ten winners will be selected in total and each will receive a cash prize of £81,000 to go towards building their dream property.
Poundland to increase £1 products to 60 per cent of stock
Discount retailer Poundland has won headlines everywhere after announcing it will increase the number of products it sells for £1 or less.
The news comes as a the cost-of-living-crisis means shoppers are seriously feeling the pinch.
Today, around half of the budget chain’s products are priced at £1, but the company has pledged to increase this figure to around 60 per cent.
The retailer has 850 stores in the UK, and will predominantly be focusing on the value of single items, so customers don’t need to buy in bulk to save cash.
Khaby Lame becomes the most-followed account on TikTok
Khaby Lame, a Senegalese-born 22-year-old living in Italy, has this week become TikTok’s most followed.
Lame now has 142.6 million followers, and won fame via his hilarious reactions to overcomplicated life hacks.
He would highlight the hack and then complete the task simply and in silence, rolling his eyes and frowning disappointedly.
Brands have been quick to jump on his popularity – the TikTokker graced the runway at Milan Fashion Week in September 2021, and then signed a multi-year deal with BOSS in January.
FAILS
Captain Tom Moore fund faces charity probe
The Captain Tom Foundation is being investigated in a new probe by the charities watchdog, it has been announced this week.
The Charity Commission first opened a case into the foundation in March last year, shortly after Second World War hero Tom Moore’s death from Covid, and began reviewing the set-up of the organisation.
The watchdog will also scrutinise alleged ‘mismanagement’ and ‘misconduct’ in the trustees’ decision-making and the charity’s governance, including managing conflicts of interest.
It’s a sad state of affairs unbefitting of such a generous and celebrated hero…
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