Hails & Fails – June 30th 2023
It’s been a record breaking June for hot weather and, let’s face it, there’s been plenty of hot air circulating around the news agenda too. But, fortunately for our sanity, there have been some amazing sun-kissed PR campaigns to keep those smiles front and centre.
This week, the Barbie movie went without words to prove what an icon it is, art collective MSCHF proved that little is legendary with a micro handbag and adult toy chain Ann Summers proved there doesn’t need to be stigma around smear tests.
It was terrible week for fashion retailer Shein though after influencers singing the praises of its factory faced a rapid backlash.
HAILS
Barbie shows speechless can be iconic
What’s not to love about innovation with billboards? But the Barbie movie took this to new heights this week with a seriously clever billboard campaign that features nothing but that vibrant Barbie pink and a calendar date.
So when huge pink billboards appeared across the country, showing nothing but the film release date in the bottom right corner in that iconic Barbie font – we all knew exactly what it was.
Bloody brilliant! And loads of online chatter and celebratory articles online. A massive win for the brand.
The designer handbag that you need a microscope to see
A designer handbag that is narrow enough to pass through the eye of a needle is wining coverage everywhere for creators, MSCHF.
Made from photopolymer resin, the bag was fashioned using 3D printing technology.
However, the new owner of the bag need not worry about misplacing their purchase, as a microscope with a digital display was included with the sale.
The story of how it was created has made media, globally, this week.
How Ann Summers destigmatised the smear test
A new campaign from sex toy and lingerie brand Ann Summers aims to destigmatise cervical smear tests.
The Remove Fear from the Smear campaign seeks to counter smear test anxiety by promoting a compact new sex toy.
The ‘toy’ is in fact a speculum, the instrument used during cervical smear tests, that helps to save a lot more than just sex lives.
Over recent years there has been a stark decrease in the numbers of women attending cervical screening sessions, despite the programme preventing 70% of cervical cancer deaths.
And the story has certainly grabbed the attention of the media this week.
FAILS
Shein influencers face social media backlash
Influencers have been criticised this week after posting glowing videos from a paid trip to a Chinese factory owned by controversial fast fashion retailer Shein.
The brand, which has been previously accused of labour abuse and admitted to breaching rules around working hours, took the group of six fashion influencers to tour its “Innovation Factory”.
Social media users quickly pointed out that the influencers appear to use a “script” for their posts, as they all involve very similar language. And they claim that the influencers’ comments about the Shein factory do not address the allegations that have been levelled over Shein’s labour and environmental impact.
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