Hails & Fails – March 3rd 2023
So where’s this snowbomb the weathermen promised? Yeah…thought so. Snow…schmo. Regardless, there have been enough hot PR campaigns this week to melt the heart of the most ardent Beast from the East.
Transport for Greater Manchester gave away free books on trams, comms giant EE gave us technology-enabled routes home and Sainsbury’s brought a vacuum to the plastic packaging debate. It was a week to forget for TikTok though after their new filter was lampooned for setting unrealistic beauty standards.
HAILS
Thousands of free books hidden on trams
Commuters travelling on Manchester’s trams were able to grab a free book this week, as thousands were given away across the Metrolink network.
Free books were secreted on tram seats at the crack of dawn on Thursday, as part of the World Book Day celebrations.
The free book giveaway is a partnership between charity World Book Day, Transport for Greater Manchester, the National Literacy Trust and Manchester City Council.
The majority of the books were for children but a selection were for adults too.
Cute – and loads of coverage to boot.
EE gets us home with technology
EE launched its Stay Connected at Night campaign this week, with billboards harnessing the power of data to offer technology-enabled routes home.
The campaign used out of home technology in Manchester City Centre to keep people connected even when they reach their monthly data limit.
Using digital out of home screens in popular nightlife spots, the creative uses geo-located travel information to help pedestrians plan their routes home as soon as darkness falls.
The campaign was rolled out nationwide after its Manchester debut and offered everything from taxi waiting times to train, tram and bus schedules.
Creative…and, y’know…actually useful. No wonder it’s already up for an award.
Sainsbury’s saves tonnes of plastic in UK first
Sainsbury’s has introduced a new vacuum-packed alternative across its beef range, in a bid to cut back on plastic usage.
The new packaging will result in a minimum 55% reduction in plastic per product.
Customers can buy beef mince in the revamped packaging both in-store and online from this week.
The new packaging will contain the same amount of beef mince, but is smaller in size and is the latest in a string of changes made by the grocer, which is aiming to halve its use of own-brand plastic packaging by 2025.
Loads of headlines generated by the story this week too.
FAILS
TikTok’s ‘Bold Glamour’ goes wildly wrong
TikTok’s new Bold Glamour filter – which overhauls your entire facial reality – is going viral for all the wrong reasons this week.
It basically makes you a different person – sharpens your chin, fills in your eyebrows, smooths your skin, brightens your cheeks. But it has attracted some unwanted attention from commentators this week.
A fast and furious flurry of influencers and online commentators have been quick to criticise – pointing out the very real dangers of a filter which reinforces unrealistic beauty standards.
Come on social media – we’re better than this, surely?
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