As people all around Australia and New Zealand pay tribute in various ways to soldiers who served in their military forces in World War One, and beyond, let us also take a moment to solemnly remember that time Woolworths had an absolutely atrocious marketing campaign that tried to capitalise on Anzac Day.
Most days of the year, I’d be against airing dirty laundry. But given that today is all about paying tribute to fallen soldiers, let’s pour one out for whichever marketing advisor at Woolworths in 2015 thought that the grocery company should plaster the words “Fresh In Our Memories” and a Woolies logo over images of dead WW1 soldiers.
In case you’ve forgotten, here’s what it looked like on Woolworth’s website in 2015 over the Anzac Day period — but be warned, the egregious attempt at a corporate public holiday tie-in may disturb some viewers.
I think the worst part is the glaringly obvious use of the word “fresh”, in order to align with Woolworths’ branding.
The “fresh food people” tried to deny it was a marketing campaign of course, but Brad Banducci would deny he left an interview half way through, so no trust is to be had there.
But that’s not all!
Woolworths also created a tool online that meant that anyone who looked at the campaign and thought they needed to show more Anzac spirit on their social media profile, could generate a filter onto their profile picture that would add the Woolworths’ branding and infamously bad catchphrase.
Is this what you meant @woolworths #freshinourmemories pic.twitter.com/xttGJjhFx0
— Discombobulate (@Discombobul8) April 14, 2015
Fun fact, if you are putting together a tool that has your company’s branding on it, maybe also include a filter that means people aren’t also able to create photos that look like your company is mourning, say, Hitler, as some folks did.
Woolworths also created a site (freshinourmemories.com) that had a range of informative activities and links, that the company claimed had been sourced by “collecting stories from our staff”.
Funnily enough, the average Aussie consumer was NOT a fan of this advertising campaign and slammed it ruthlessly online.
The Woolworths fresh in our memories campaign has really infuriated me. The lack of respect and abundance of stupidity astonishing.
— Non Sensible Kate (@nonsensiblekate) April 14, 2015
Just when I thought I’d seen everything – @Woolworths #Anzac “Fresh in our memories” campaign http://t.co/osdAe3Z6hQ pic.twitter.com/yzuP6Hw9lO
— Dr Jo Hawkins (@history_punk) April 14, 2015
What would our diggers think of #Woolworths Fresh in Our Memories #ANZAC campaign? It seems everybody outraged. pic.twitter.com/B4HYnUIQvI
— Debbie Kalik (@DebbieKalik) April 15, 2015
And so, after mere days of the campaign — that Woolworths claimed it spent MONTHS crafting in PR workshops — the entire thing was scrapped.
Lest we forget.
