In the world of marketing, April has been quite a moving month. From the fight against period poverty to free suits for hire, we've seen the very best of humanity through this month's marketing campaigns. Read through our April round-up to find the very best of marketing and advertising this month.
1. Morrisons gives out free sanitary products
One of the best things we've seen this month is the fight against period poverty, with leading supermarket Morrisons launching 'Ask for Sandy' (not currently available at every store). The service allows those struggling to afford sanitary items to go into any store and ask for a package left by Sandy. The staff will then provide a free discreet envelope containing a variety of products, no questions asked. The scheme has been so popular on social media that Marks & Spencer are currently considering a similar thing.
2. KFC attempts strapline hijack
In August 2020, KFC launched their first global campaign, and it was a big one! The Pandemic has brought with it a new-found cleanliness, with people all around the world being retaught how to wash their hands. Consequently, KFC have reasoned that their 64 year old slogan 'it's finger lickin good' is, at least for now, not appropriate.
Now KFC have tweeted asking to borrow other brands' slogans. Among our favourite suggestions were 'KFC: it gives you wings' and TUI's recommendation: 'We cross the 'K's, curl the 'C's, and put 'F' in the middle'.
As far as global campaigns go, we think this is one of the most ambitious. Dropping your renowned slogan is a big deal - KFC have kept this going for 8 months now and are still building traction from it.
3. B&Q: We Will Grow Again
As we come out of what seems like one of the longest winters, B&Q have launched their new advert. The stunning advert shows plants and flowers blooming from concrete while the sun shines on the dull places. We thought this was a beautiful ode to what's to come - it really got us excited to visit the garden section and choose an array of colourful flowers to brighten up our lives.
4. Specsavers: Don't Miss a Thing this Summer
The Specsavers marketing team have always impressed us with their witty 'should have gone to Specsavers' adverts, and their newest marketing campaign certainly lives up to the high standards we have placed on them. The opticians released four simple images of a traditional British summer with the simple caption 'don't miss a thing this summer'. The advert is simple and perhaps not as amusing as those in the past, but it does succeed at sparking that feeling that summer is just around the corner.
5. Secret Outdoor QR Code Campaign
What's better than a national advertising campaign? A national, interactive advertising campaign - and this is exactly what the Royal Navy have created. The campaign features an image of a submarine lowering itself into the sea. The entire picture has been built using QR code structure, which leads people to the Royal Navy recruitment site when scanned. Interactive campaigns are far more engaging and, when done well, yield far better results.
6. Tesco tells customers to go to the pub instead
Already this year we've seen Burger King encourage customers to go elsewhere, and it seems that Tesco have taken a leaf out of this book. Tesco's new advert asks you to 'pop to your local if you can', encouraging customers to visit pubs and help support local businesses.
The pandemic has been a source of a lot of heartbreak, but one beautiful thing to come out of this is seeing people band together. We love to see brands supporting each other instead of tearing one another down and Tesco's pub advert is one of the very best demonstrations of this.
7. Captain Tom's fundraising challenge
Captain Tom has been a beacon of hope this last year and even though he passed away in early February, the UK has kept his legacy alive with 'The Captain Tom 100 Challenge'. Tom's family asked people to create their own challenge – to select a task and then repeat that task 100 times. . So, for example, you could do 100 star jumps, stay silent for 100 minutes or bake 100 cupcakes. The challenge, which took place from Friday 30th April to Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May, celebrated what would have been Captain Tom's 101st birthday.
Tom has been a favourite here at M3 – his perseverance and optimism kept us going in the first lockdown and we're delighted to see him continuing to have an impact.
8. H&M offer free 24 hour suit hire
We have saved the best till last this month: the popular clothing brand H&M now offers free suit hire for interviews. H&M says: 'A suit isn't an outfit. It's confidence. A signal to the world and a reminder to yourself you've got what it takes.' 'Style the suit your way. Maybe you'll keep it classic. Maybe you'll pare it back. However you wear it hold your head up high.' We are blown away by this idea and can't wait to see how other brands react to H&M's bold move.
Make sure you come back in May to find out our latest favourites from the world of marketing! You won't want to miss it!
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