Every brand makes a promise to their customers, quality of products, low prices or better yet being the only one in a million of that kind. Thus customers always expect the best from their brands, so brands must always be on top of their game.
#BOYCOTTWOOLWORTHS
Woolworths is one of those brands that promise a lot to their customers, quality and organic food products. They value fairness, integrity and always doing things the right way.
However, there is an organisation called BDS (Boycott. Divestment. Sanctions ), they pointed out that Woolworths does not live up to its values and what they promise their customers. As a result, people will then have to boycott Woolies because they are doing business with Israel. Reason being that of the Israel-Apartheid, being so, it means Woolworths disappointed customers, they did not value the 'integrity' that they talk about.
Thereafter, the word about boycotting Woolies spread on different social media platforms, mostly on Twitter with the hashtag #BoycottWoolworths. Almost every Twitter user was in support of boycotting Woolies, even the notable people who happen to be influential. The protests were organised to make more awareness, the same protests were organised using social media. Brands must always act responsibly in social media, use a polite manner and engage with their customers.
The following video shows a protest that took place in Maponya Mall, Soweto in showing awareness BoycottingWoolworths
It would have been advantageous if Woolworths turned their campaign into something that would make everyone happy. Take Reddit for example, remember how they turned the Fathead Poster crisis into an opportunity? Woolworths could have cut ties with the business in Israel, and at the same time launch their own #hashtag that will take the company level. That way, they would be empowering their customers because it would show that they care about their (customers) concerns and opinions. It would have changed how people were thinking about Woolworths and they would have got free publicity without having to pay for it.
That way they would have used social media strategically to market their organisation, and they would have created brand loyalty with their customers and possibly create new customer and other business opportunities as well.
Social media is a big thing, it comes with big problems so brands should be big enough to solve these problems.
Social media is a big thing, it comes with big problems so brands should be big enough to solve these problems.
Woolworth support for Israel while the Israel are oppressing the Palestine have encourage this hashtag.
ReplyDeleteI could not agree more.
DeleteAs South Africans we cry out for Palestinians, giving our history, we know how it's like to be oppressed.
ReplyDeleteYes, anti-apartheid.
DeleteIn light of your analysis, would you then say that, the way in which Woolworths responded to the BDS campaign and their reluctance to cut ties with their suppliers in Israel might have affected the way in which ordinary south Africans, who are not aware of the Israel-Palestine conflict, on the way in which they view Woolworths? And if so, how? And please elaborate on how that might have affected brand-customer relations
ReplyDeleteSeeing that we are discussing this issue in a social media context, I would say yes it will affect the people who are not aware of the Israel-Palestine conflict but are aware of the #BoycottWoolworths movement. Given that #BoycottWoolworths has gone viral, people will want to know why they should boycott the retailer, on their process of research they will eventually find out about the Israel-Palestine conflict. This will have a negative effect on Woolworths because customer will question their claims-integrity, fairness and doing what is right-. We all know that what Israel is doing to Palestine is not right, so why is Woolworths in business with them? Already the brand-customer relations is bad because Woolworths ignored their opinions.
DeleteBut then Dis-chem sourced more Israel products than Woolworths, it actually receives most of their medicine from there, why not Dis-chem?
ReplyDeleteTheir court order was actually unnecessary as the protesters soon decreased in numbers, but i don't see wrong in Woolworths as the South African laws allows for businesses to do business with Israel.
The only difference here is that Woolworths has given itself a reputation on what they value, so they are somehow contradicting themselves. Follow this link for more information http://www.bdssouthafrica.com/campaigns-boycottwoolworths-background/
Deletevery interesting post. How did Woolworths handle this matter though?
ReplyDeleteThe executive board members of the retailer acknowledged the issue and promised to take some steps forward. The hashtag eventually faded away as other newsworthy trends came upon the social media platforms.
Delete