Hails & Fails – September 23rd 2022
Where did September go? No…really! The start of Autumn might have disappeared in a flash but brands have been busier than ever producing flashes of PR genius with top-notch campaigns this week.
Food bank fundraisers Let Them Eat Sarnies have jumped on the renewed popularity of Paddington Bear (thanks Queenie) to help feed people on the breadline, The London Dungeon has cheekily used the ‘Holly and Phil’ queue jump drama to encourage new custom and The England Football Team won positive headlines with an inclusive captain’s pledge. It was not a great week for Asda though as the retailer faced a backlash after limiting sales of its budget range.
HAILS
You can now donate the cost of a marmalade sandwich to a food bank
Those who had been thinking about leaving a marmalade sandwich for the late Queen can now donate the cost to food banks instead.
In response to marmalade sandwiches being left outside Buckingham Palace as a tribute to the Queen, a fundraiser allowing people to donate the cost of Paddington Bear’s favourite snack to a food bank has been set up.
Let Them Eat Sarnies was created after the Royal Parks asked people to stop leaving the edible tributes because of the impact on wildlife.
Each virtual sarnie costs £3, and people can donate up to 1,000 of them to the charity Food Aid Network.
The London Dungeon introduces 'Holly and Phil' queue jump pass
London Dungeon has cheekily joined in on the queue-jumping row featuring ITV presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield with a hilarious new offer to visitors.
The This Morning presenters may have strongly denied jumping the queue to witness the Queen’s lying in state at Westminster Hall last week…but it hasn’t stopped some brilliant brand banter.
London Dungeon visitors who this week ask for a ‘Holly & Phil’ when buying their tickets will gain ‘queue jumping rights’ for the same price as a standard ticket.
Brilliant!
England captain Harry Kane to wear anti-discrimination armband
England football captain Harry Kane is to wear a OneLove armband for the team’s Nations League games and at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Holland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Wales are also supporting the initiative.
Same-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships are criminalised in Qatar – which hosts this year’s World Cup competition.
There have been loads of positive media headlines for the initiative this week.
FAILS
Asda in backlash from customers over new Just Essentials rule
Grocery giant Asda has left shoppers “appalled” after it introduced new rules on how many items they can purchase from its new budget range.
The supermarket’s newly expanded Just Essentials range landed in-stores with headlines everywhere earlier this year, designed to help cash-poor shoppers get their food on a budget during the cost of living crisis.
But due to popular demand, the supermarket says it has had to introduce a temporary limit on how much shoppers can purchase – only allowing a maximum of three of each product per customer.
But the new limit has sparked backlash from angry shoppers who have been left fuming after the new rules were shared on social media.
Ouch!
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