The Sauce – 02/04/2024

Welcome to ‘The Sauce’ – your weekly dollop of marketing news.

By Sapna Bagha, our Social Media Lead.

Welcome to ‘The Sauce’ – your dollop of marketing news from the past week.

This week we’re talking about Blue Cross’s first national TV ad in nearly a decade, EE enlisting Harry Kane and other football stars to teach UK sign language and HelloFresh rebuilding its brand after a PR disaster.

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Paws-itively Heartwarming with Blue Cross’s New TV Ad

Blue Cross has just unveiled its first national TV ad in almost a decade, and it’s all about celebrating the incredible bond between pets and their owners.

Created in collaboration with Campfire and Squashed Robot, this heartwarming campaign is set to air on major channels such as ITV and Channel 4 throughout spring 2024.

Showcasing Blue Cross’s 125-year heritage, the ad highlights how the charity supports pets and their humans through life’s challenges, whether it’s providing care for a homeless pet or helping someone in need afford veterinary care.

Wendy Hill, Blue Cross’s group head of marketing and comms, says the charity’s goal is to raise awareness of its vital work and reach even more pets and people this year. The ad, set to a cover of Petula Clark’s ‘I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love’, features touching stories of pets and their owners benefiting from Blue Cross services.

Alongside the TV campaign, Blue Cross will also launch a digital campaign inviting audiences to share their own pet stories. Campfire Agency CEO Paul Handley expressed his delight in collaborating on this emotionally resonant campaign, while Squashed Robot creative director Phil Beastall emphasised the importance of storytelling in evoking emotion and inspiring action. It’s a heartwarming initiative that aims to highlight the invaluable role that pets play in our lives and the support that Blue Cross provides to families in need.

More of our clients at Awesomesauce are really focusing on campaigns that communicate authentic storytelling, strategic collaboration, and purpose-driven marketing to drive meaningful engagement and support for their brand. Even though Blue Cross are well-established in their market, it’s great to see them recognising the importance of mass marketing techniques to get their message out there.

Signing Success – EE Scores Big with Inclusive BSL Campaign!

EE has kicked off a new initiative in collaboration with prominent footballing figures to promote inclusivity by teaching British Sign Language (BSL) across the UK.

Stars like Harry Kane, Mary Earps, Bukayo Saka, Rachel Corsie, Sarina Wiegman, and Dion Charles are lending their support to the cause, providing essential tutorials to help educate.

Developed in partnership with the Royal Association for Deaf people (RAD) charity and the football associations of the Home Nations, EE’s “Support. It’s In Your Hands” campaign aims to keep the 87,000 British Sign Language users in the Deaf community engaged in football discussions.

BT and EE marketing communications director, Pete Jeavons, emphasised the commitment to making football accessible to all, while Havas Play UK managing partner, Lucy Basden-Smith, highlighted the importance of BSL in bridging communication gaps and fostering equality in football support and engagement.

It’s great to see a well-known brand like EE promoting inclusivity to communicate positive brand perception and loyalty.

We are seeing more of our clients demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility and connecting with consumers on a more emotional level. This is a key differentiation strategy when competing in a saturated market and we are seeing more brands using this technique too.

We are seeing more of our clients demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility and connecting with consumers on a more emotional level.

HelloFresh PR Crisis…

HelloFresh, the OG meal kit business, finds itself in the eye of a PR storm as its once-sterling reputation takes hit after hit.

Following a BBC investigation and a hefty fine from the ICO for spam marketing emails, the brand now faces allegations of incorrectly charging deactivated accounts and resorting to heavy-handed tactics to recoup funds.

The question looms: where did it all go wrong, and can HelloFresh recover?

As revenue plummets and share prices tank, it’s clear that restoring consumer trust is paramount. While rebuilding won’t be easy, prioritising consumer privacy and transparency could pave the way for HelloFresh to reclaim its former glory.

Brand reputation is crucial and negative public opinion can really make or break a business.

We are seeing more brands really prioritising transparency, privacy and accountability to ensure clear communication and to build trust and loyalty – no HelloFresh mishaps here…

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Contact us on hello@awesomesaucemarketing.co.uk to find out how we can support your business with a client-centred marketing approach – building trust and loyalty.

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Brought to you by Awesomesauce Marketing – a full-service marketing agency serving UK and international clients.