You're Having a Giraffe!

Just so you know, I am fully aware that this post has leaped onto an extremely late bandwagon. Although this story hit the headlines in January this year, the actual letter in question was received by Sainsburys in 2011.
However, my blog would feel deprived without it. Therefore I feel obliged to write about Sainsburys and their extremely strategical marketing campaign.

Published in the Telegraph, the Daily Mail and various other infamous newspapers, I am sure that you have all heard this heart-warming story:
Lily Robinson; a three year old child wrote a lovely (yet curiously intelligent) letter to Sainsburys, asking the following question:



Naively written alongside the help of her mother, Lily asked the unique yet significant question that many others had probably wondered themselves..(?) However, the unfortunate cynic in me cannot help but question whether Lily was a legitimate customer or whether she even existed?
Lily claimed that the marks on Sainsburys infamous Tiger loaf were far more representative of a giraffe than they were of a tiger and the manager Chris King could not agree enough.

The letter was released into the social media, with campaigns being strewn all over Facebook such as the "Campaign to turn Tiger Bread into Giraffe Bread at Sainsburys". The page received hundreds of likes, comments and suggestions to take Lily's advice and make the change.

Sainsburys finally decided to make the change in January this year, claiming that: “In response to overwhelming customer feedback that our tiger bread has more resemblance to a giraffe, from today we will be changing our tiger bread to giraffe bread and seeing how that goes.”

Hasn't this story turned into such a fairytale? I think not...
Although various commentators believed that this was Sainsburys carrying out a good deed; I cannot help but believe that this was simply a fantastic marketing trick.

Did a three year old girl REALLY write this letter? Or was this simply the Crème de la Crème of all PR stunts? Do not get me wrong, I am not condemning this stunt - I actually think it is bloody brilliant. But please do not mistake their intelligence for loyalty...

The conclusion of this story? Sainsburys PR department deserve a round of applause. They succeeded in telling a beautiful story of a company that are caring, loyal and appreciative of their customers in juxtaposition with a marketing strategy that shows off their intelligent and clued up methods of communication. They can be sure to hold their heads (and necks) up high...