Hails & Fails – March 18th 2022
The sun is shining and there have been some fantastic PR highlights to welcome the green shoots of Spring this week. Argos has created a ‘mood’ hotel, Vault City Brewing has created a green beer for St Paddy’s Day and supermarkets Aldi and Morrison’s have offered jobs to Ukrainian refugees. It was a pretty terrible week for Harrods though, as they were blasted for selling Russian vodka under the counter.
HAILS
Argos partners with Pinterest to launch the Mood Hotel
Argos is launching an immersive hotel experience for trend-obsessed interiors fans. Launching in April, The Argos Mood Hotel, in collaboration with visual inspiration platform Pinterest, will be based in London.
Guests will be immersed in the latest interior styles, all based on the most popular Pinterest trends, and showcased through homeware and furniture from Argos’ most recent product ranges.
Based in Bethnal Green at The Town Hall Hotel, the rooms will be open for three days only from Saturday 2nd to Monday 4th April, and members of the public can apply to win a stay in one of the five Mood Rooms for a two-night complimentary stay.
A green beer just in time for St Patrick’s Day
A Scottish brewery launched a luminous green beer – just in time for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations.
The experts at Edinburgh’s Vault City Brewing created a sweet “Apple Soor” beer that tastes like Apple Sourz.
The green beer has proved hugely popular with bars across the UK, with more than 50 placing orders as they readied themselves for the Paddy’s Day shenanigans.
Loads of media coverage too!
Aldi & Morrisons in jobs for refugees pledge
Aldi and Morrisons have offered jobs for Ukrainian refugees.
Aldi has 8,000 store and distribution centre roles available and would welcome applications from Ukrainian refugees subject to eligibility for UK employment.
“We stand by the people of Ukraine and want to offer employment opportunities for those seeking refuge in the UK,” said Aldi UK recruitment director Kelly Stokes.
“By working with the government, partners and other employers, we hope to help as many people as possible and provide much-needed stability and security in their lives.”
Morrisons said it had also contacted the Home Office about jobs for Ukrainian refugees.
FAILS
Harrods criticised for selling Russian Vodka under the counter
Luxury department store Harrods has been blasted for still selling Russian goods, despite sanctions against Russia.
A newspaper story earlier in the week revealed that Harrods was offering £90 Beluga vodka ‘under the counter’. They weren’t the only ones – Selfridges stocked £150 bottles of Russian vodka on its shelves too!
Labour MP and chairman of the Commons Standards Committee Chris Bryant criticised the firms, saying: ‘I can’t believe that some people don’t get this.’
The former minister told the House of Commons some firms were ‘not really pulling their weight’ in imposing sanctions on Vladimir Putin’s country as he railed against companies ‘still doing business’ in Russia.
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