Hails & Fails – June 10th 2022
As the UK played catch up following the four-day Jubilee bank holiday, brands wasted no time getting creative with PR campaigns to help put a smile on our faces this week. Maltesers went dark to please fans, Harrods went blue to celebrate a birthday and John Lewis gave us rentals to help the planet. It was not a good week for Burger King though, after their Pride advert upset social media fans.
HAILS
Maltesers go dark after fans demand
Dark chocolate Maltesers will be launched this month, Mars has announced.
The confectioner said it was “about time” it made the innovation as “fans have been requesting us to bring out this flavour for years.”
Maltesers said the new version would be in the shops from June 20.
It is the first innovation made to the chocolate treat for almost a decade.
And, when icons change, headlines follow…
Harrods lights turn blue for the first time ever
The amber-lit exterior of the Harrods store in London is instantly recognisable but this week the colour of the iconic department store’s twinkling lights changed to blue in celebration of Tiffany & Co.’s 150th anniversary.
Harrods replaced 7,500 light bulbs across its iconic façade, changing their colour to Tiffany Blue. The lights will remain in place till the end of June, and then the bulbs will be completely recycled.
The spectacle marks the beginning of Tiffany’s 150th anniversary celebrations in London.
And the media loved loved it.
John Lewis launches rental service for children’s clothes
John Lewis has launched a rental service for children’s clothing.
In partnership with The Little Loop, a children’s clothing rental platform, the service currently offers a range of 48 items including dresses, blazers, hoodies, tops and trousers.
The rental service works by subscription and gives parents and carers three plans to choose from.
There has been an increase in clothing rental services in recent years as campaign groups work to raise awareness of fashion’s impact on the planet.
According to the Waste and Resources Action Programme, Britons throw away around £140 million worth of wearable clothing every year.
Responsible and a headline winner.
FAILS
Burger King causes uproar on social media with ‘same sex’ burger buns
Burger King’s new Pride month ad has upset a whole host of people on social media.
Last week, the fast-food chain unveiled a “Pride whopper”, which consists of the same normal hamburger sandwich, but with “two equal buns,” which means a person can get it with either two top halves or two bottom halves.
The campaign is running in Austria until 20 June, but has attracted the attention of people from all over the world, including many celebrities, who think Burger King has “totally missed the mark on this one”.
Author Brigitte Gabriel said: “Burger King has introduced a new ‘Pride Whopper’ where you can order it with two tops or two bottoms of buns. Ordering fast food doesn’t need to be a political statement for me.”
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