February: flip it and reverse it
firstlight
We help organisations that want to change the world. And those facing a world of change.
It may be the shortest month of the year, but there was plenty going on this month to keep us glued to the news. After a brief hiatus, firstlight focus returns to your screens – so let’s look at what piqued our interest.??
?? The month in review?
February saw its share of re-releases, re-brands and reversed decisions.
Labour grudgingly announced it would be rowing back on its ￡28-billion-a-year green pledge – Keir Starmer telling the BBC’s Political Editor Chris Mason that it would be ‘irresponsible’ to ignore the current economic climate. An economic necessity perhaps, but a difficult message to land.?
Ethical chocolatier Tony’s Chocolonely is being sued by Milka-manufacturer Mondelez for mimicking its ‘iconic’ purple packaging. Rather than u-turn, Tony’s has re-released the bars in grey. The tagline ‘Pay farmers, not lawyers!’ neatly exemplifies how to say more with less.?
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan unveiled a new look for the London Overground as part of a much-debated rebrand designed to make the system easier to navigate. But the new names have divided Londoners.???
?? Comms insight: the truth will set you free ?
So how should you communicate a u-turn???
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It’s never easy to announce that you’re going back on your word, but the key here is authenticity. Trying to downplay or dismiss the issue is bound to lead to a backlash or holes in your argument. Hold your hands up and the truth will set you free, as they say. And it doesn’t have to be all bad – start to shift the focus onto the efforts you are making towards progress. As always, make sure you have a robust comms plan in place to deal with the good, the bad and the ugly.??
?? Sustainable love
A quick look at one of our February campaigns.
A sudden increase in sightings of grim-faced men standing in front of the cards section in supermarkets and newsagents has long been a harbinger of the imminent arrival of Valentine's Day – like the first bluebells of spring. Traditionally, February 14 has also been accompanied by a tidal wave of tacky gifts, but research we commissioned for our client Adevinta found that increasing numbers of younger people are bestowing pre-loved items. We used this as an opportunity to explore the ways in which long-standing gifting habits across the year are being reshaped by recommerce – a win for recipients, as well as the planet! Our integrated strategy included social content ranging from a recommerce gift guide to buyer testimonials, and resulted in a spread of coverage across retail, ecommerce and personal finance publications.
?? In brief?