PRing in the cost of living crisis

Effective PR in the cost of living crisis

It’s been a busy week for all of the PR’s out there. But have a couple of brands just got it completely wrong in the midst of the cost of living crisis? We’ve got two examples of misguided communication and messaging right here, so grab a cuppa and sit back.

This week, Klarna announced their latest collaboration with food delivery service Deliveroo. While many were jumping for joy at the thought of their favourite Chinese being slightly more accessible, there have been more critics of the collab. 

Klarna x Deliveroo - A Foodie Fail? 

As part of our job in PR, we must always be aware of the social, political, and economic environments that are at play at the time we release our announcements or pitch ideas to journalists. This, it seems, may have been slightly overlooked by the Klarna and Deliveroo teams. 

In a time where most are crunching numbers in a bid to save some cash due to the cost of living crisis, a ‘buy now pay later’ firm is encouraging consumers to spend. 

While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, £20 for a takeaway here and there, it really promotes naughty spending habits. The Nation’s hero, Martin Lewis, (the Money Saving Expert) was not happy.

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Ofgem steps in for the Government 

After the government blocked a state-led information campaign to ration energy consumption, Ofgem decided to take this into their own hands.  

The government decided to not go ahead with the initiative amidst fears it would be perceived as the actions of a “nanny state”. but the Office of Gas and Electricity Market’s decision to announce the marketing drive a few days later felt like a discredit to the government. 

It's certainly wise to take a step back at times and ask if we have to participate in every conversation that grabs national attention. But, it’s equally important to have a PR strategy in place that protects our clients reputation when we decide to not go ahead with an announcement or initiative. 

Check out how brands are using human stories to sell their products here.

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