Hails & Fails – July 29th 2022
In a week where the England team reached the final of an international football competition (more on that later), PR teams scored bags of coverage for brands. Showcase Cinemas showed its support for women’s sport, Reading FC highlighted the impact of climate change in its new home kit and Tesco proved there is such a thing as a free lunch. Meanwhile, the cost of living crisis continues to hit families across the nation, as McDonald’s faced backlash for increasing the price of one of its staples for the first time in over a decade.
HAILS
Showcase Cinemas shoots and scores
Brazen client, Showcase Cinemas, showed its support for the Lionesses by screening all England’s football matches throughout the Women’s Euros 2022, and is gearing up for packed out screens at the final, this Sunday.
The initiative followed the hugely popular screenings of the World Cup in 2018 and the men’s Euros in 2021, and encourages football fans and patriots, alike, to get behind the women’s game and watch the matches live on the big screen, free of charge.
The campaign scored heaps of coverage nationally and regionally and mass social love to boot.
Reading FC’s new home kit design highlights climate change
UK football club Reading FC has revealed its new home kit, with an interesting design that’s hit headlines this week.
The shirt sleeve and shorts feature a unique striped design that represents increasing average global temperatures.
Using a mix of blues, organs and reds, each stripe on the shirt shows a year’s average temperature since the club was founded in 1871.
The simple yet effective design was first created by Professor Ed Hawkins in 2018, who hails from the football club’s hometown, studying at the University of Reading.
This comes as the club’s head of commercial Tim Kilpatrick said they “want to aim to reduce our carbon footprint”.
The shirt is made from recycled plastic bottles, with 13 and a half litre bottles producing the polyester required to make one shirt. Plus, the shirt itself is recyclable.
A forward-thinking move to kickstart conversations in the football arena.
Tesco lets kids eat free this summer
As pennies continue to be pinched, UK supermarket chain Tesco is stepping in to help children eat for free. While children cannot benefit from free school dinners throughout the summer holiday, the supermarket is offering free meals. The supermarket’s “The Kids Eat Free” initiative offers one free meal for a child, which can cover costs up to £3.25; a much-needed respite for those feeding children over the school summer break.
To claim the free meal, adults much purchase an item in a Tesco café and show their Clubcard – which is free to sign up to.
Items in the cafés vary in price, starting from as little as 60p for a piece of fresh fruit.
The offer is valid all day, from 25th July until 4th September in England and Wales, for people under the age of 16.
Cue blanket coverage and cheers from cash-strapped families, everywhere.
FAILS
McDonald’s increases its prices during the Cost of Living Crisis
American fast food giant McDonald’s announced this week that it would increase the price of its menu staple cheeseburger.
Rising from 99p to £1.19, this is the first time the menu item has cost more than £1.
McDonald’s UK and Ireland chief executive Alistair Macrow said the company was facing “tough choices” about its prices, however the timing of this price increase continues to hit people looking for low cost food options.
In spite of this, it’s key to note that if the cheeseburger price had continued to rise in line with inflation, it would actually cost £1.42.
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