Hails & Fails – November 1st 2024
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first Budget since 2010 on Wednesday after the party’s return to power in July’s general election, with tax rises worth £40bn dominating news all week.
But it wasn’t just Labour’s budget that people were talking about, with three budget brands winning headlines for some fantastic creativity.
Supermarket Aldi trolled their way into conversation, Lidl erected a last-minute billboard to poke fun and Greggs did it again with an unexpected partnership. However, Greggs got somewhat of a Halloween fright when their latest celebrity ambassador snubbed one of their baked goods…
HAILS
Fresh Fashion
When Italian luxury fashion brand Moschino launched a £3,730 clutch bag shaped like a bunch of celery sticks, Aldi knew exactly what to do: launch a cheaper alternative – a 75p bunch of real celery.
In hilarious social posts on TikTok and Instagram, the witty supermarket trolls the quirky bag by staging their very own photoshoot in the veg aisle, with a model strutting down a veg aisle holding a stick of celery under her arm.
Will Aldi ever miss?!
Daisy Brooks – Account Director: “This is just genius. Aldi strikes again! One of those PR ideas where you wish you had done it… bravo.”
LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION
If you read last week’s Hails and Fails, you’ll know that Oasis star and Manchester musician Liam Gallagher was recently mocked for wearing a £400 designer jacket that bears a striking resemblance to the supermarket Lidl branding – so much so it’s now been dubbed the ‘Lidl Jacket’ despite its hefty price tag.
But days later, the supermarket has shown a stroke of creative genius by erecting a billboard directly underneath a Gallagher mural wearing the jacket – advertising nothing but a 24p potato.
The billboard’s headline “The Lidl Jacket” is hilarious copy when seen next to the infamous jacket itself!
The supermarkets are on a roll this week!
Francesca Warwick – Account Manager: “The timing of this is perfect and it’s just the right amount of sass!”
Bubbly Bakes
High street bakery Greggs launched a Champagne bar for those who fancy washing down their bakes with some bubbly.
The idea is yet another unexpected move from the brand which has recently launched its very own jewellery line and a sausage roll ATM.
The bar opened on October 24th in Newcastle’s Fenwick’s Food Hall.
Jess Redfearn – Midweight Creative: “My mum, someone not in the PR/advertising world, heard about this on the radio and asked me about it. To me, that’s the biggest sign something is a fantastic idea – when non-creatives are talking about it! Well done Greggs.”
FAIL
The Nigella Effect
Gregg’s latest celebrity ambassador Nigella Lawson has declined to be the face of its famous sausage rolls in a shock ambassador move this week.
Despite the TV cook and writer recently wrapping up filming for the brand’s 2024 Christmas advert, the star has refused to put her name to their sausage rolls specifically, according to multiple sources.
With two million of the rolls being sold every week in the UK, we feel bad for Greggs for such a diva move!
Mondie Tombre – Social Account Executive: “It’s a shame Nigella joined the Greggs deal without fully backing the campaign — her “Nigella effect” could have boosted awareness and sales. It’s fine to turn down deals that don’t align with your brand image.”
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