A social media campaign by supermarket chain Woolworths, inviting Australians to share memories of people affected by war, went predictably and spectacularly wrong overnight thanks to an insensitive bit of branding.
The “Fresh In Our Memories” website, currently down, allowed users to upload pictures of war veterans to use on their social media profiles, but then branded them with a Woolworths logo.
Along with the phrases “Lest We Forget Anzac 1915-2015” and “Fresh In Our Memories”, the pictures featured a prominent Woolworths logo, which in some cases, obscured parts of the original photographs.
Twitter quickly turned on the campaign, some users angry that the supermarket would align veterans with fresh fruit and veg, some delighted that a boring Tuesday night had just become a righteous pile-on.
TWO FOR ONE ON MEMES, 50% OFF. #freshinourmemories pic.twitter.com/hWoDPmSI1r
— Mark NewtON OFF ON (@NewtonMark) April 14, 2015
Per Fairfax, Woolworths have responded in a statement, denying that the campaign was a marketing ploy, and saying: “It is a website designed in consultation with the RSL for people to share their photos, stories and memories.”
“All profits from the sale of merchandise on the site goes to the RSL.
“We are proud to support the RSL and our diggers. Like all Australians, we pay our respects to service people past and present.”
They said that the logo on the images is “in line with other corporately sponsored Centenary of Anzac” activity, but have nonetheless taken the Fresh In Our Memories website down.
There are currently calls to #boycottwoolworths on social media. In other news, the internet will completely and utterly forget about this PR clusterfuck in two or three days, and everybody will continue shopping at whichever supermarket is closest to their house.
