Lest we forget… to win new clothes
Dr Mumbo thought by 2017 brands may have learned that it’s very hard to align with Anzac Day in a meaningful way while spruiking a product entirely unrelated to the sacrifices and struggles of our soldiers.
And yet, as we approached the 102nd anniversary of the fateful Gallipoli landings, Dr Mumbo couldn’t help but notice clothing brand Industrie was giving it a red-hot go – tenuously linking $75 vouchers with the hashtag #lestweforget.
Dr Mumbo was slightly mystified about the connection between Anzac Day and Industrie’s best fabrics and trims from around the world when the brand unveiled its Anzac offering to its Instagram and Facebook devotees last night.
“On the eve of the Anzac anniversary, we’re celebrating by giving you the chance to win one of ten $75 Industrie vouchers. The first 10 people to like this post and correctly answer this question win. In which countries does Industrie have free standing Industrie stores?”
Perhaps, Dr Mumbo surmised, the answer to the question is Australia and New Zealand. #ANZ.
Then he read the actual hashtags – #mens #menswear #mensfashion #industrieclothing #anzac #75thanniversary #lestweforget – and the mystery deepened.
Given it is in fact 102 years since the Anzacs landed at Gallipoli , and Industrie was founded in 1999, Dr Mumbo is unsure who is celebrating, or commemorating, their 75th anniversary.
Social media users were just as mystified as Dr Mumbo.
Dr Mumbo is relieved Industrie has since removed the Anzac connection and is now giving away the vouchers simply to celebrate.
Dr Mumbo can almost feel the panicked editing
The new Instagram offering. No anniversaries. No Anzacs
I’m seeing a regular pattern on the Internetz where social media managers who are trying to be hip and cool with their audience (and are likely young 20-somethings with not enough experience) end up creating major faux pas for the companies/clients they work for…
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One wonders how anyone in Australia can misunderstand the nature of ANZAC Day considering both the media and educational coverage of the tradition?
Regardless, Industrie have now tarnished themselves for years to come as insensitive profiteers – greedy for cash, out of touch with their consumers/environment and in all truth, pretty shit at making and designing clothes.
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Cheers for the great summary on what happened Mumbo! I reckon that the way they responded and apologised as soon as they realised what they did, was admirable and awesome! Keep up the good work!
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I honestly don’t understand how these things keep happening. Surely this was not fully sanctioned by Industrie’s management team (and hopefully not by their Head of Marketing either). I can only assume it’s the combination of an uneducated promotions person and an over zealous Social Media Manager/Director who believes it is always beneficial to have a ‘social presence’ around every event or occasion. That, or they just allow the store sales staff to post their own social unchecked, either way not a great practice for a company of this size. Perhaps the issue is that just about every social media director these days is barely a day over 25 years old and they just don’t understand that not every occasion needs to be jumped on by the brand they are amplifying (socially). Management need to understand the serious responsibility they are handing these (often young) teams with the account passwords and seemingly unchecked publishing rights, or face the social backlash just like this.
#lesttheyforget
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Industrie, this is what you get when you employ people under an age that should know better. More to my point, experience and wisdom is hard to find in under 30 year olds.
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