10 Yetis Examples of Good and Bad PR - Monday 11th February 2019

Joy of joys, it’s Monday. So, prepare your mind and body, here comes today’s example of good and bar PR - written by our latest work experience candidate from the University of Gloucestershire, Owen Adamson.

Good PR

It may be cold now, but come summer Britain will have its usual influx of crisped-up builders roaming the streets, as men and women born under grey skies are baked by the semi-mythical “sun”.

In light of this, Wickes released tins of suncream disguised as paint in an effort to encourage our hard-hatted friends to get more UV protection. Sent all over the country, the freebies came in a variety of fetching hues: Plasterer’s Pink, Brickie’s Bronze and Apprentice White.

85% of skin cancer cases are preventable, but apparently some consider wearing suncream unmanly and weak. Being a ginger, I flinch when someone takes a flash photo, let alone being stuck on a roof in summer. Wear the cream, don’t be silly.

Bad PR

Coca-Cola found themselves being battered online, alongside their friends at Delta airlines, after “plane crush” napkins let you write your name and number for that special passenger in your life.

As usual, some people took it well and others started frothing at the mouth, incensed at the “creepy” message, dubbed “old school” by Coke.

It does seem pretty hard to get the tone right these days. On one hand, plenty of people enjoyed the quirky and risqué idea. It could just be a bit of fun, though not exactly the most romantic beginnings:

“I met your Father when he gave me a Diet-Coke napkin, he’s just such a romantic!”

Others felt it supported sexual harassment – which has been on the rise for the last four years, according to the FBI. Important stuff for sure, but who knew the FBI looked into this sort of thing?

Either way, Coke have repealed the napkins and replaced them with bog-standard ones. It is slightly soul destroying seeing every attempt to be cheeky or fun get shot down on Twitter. But, lesson for the future, just avoid the topic completely unless your wording is utterly bullet-proof.

Also, small shout-out to Joanna Lumley for making a Ku Klux Klan joke at a Film festival. Did you really think that would work?! Why? How?