Target told to pull Camp Gallipoli products as government clamps down on use of word Anzac
The banned hoodie
Retailer Target has been forced to pull three Anzac branded items from its Camp Gallipoli range after the government deemed them “inappropriate”.
A beanie hat, a hoodie and a foam can holder, have been pulled from shelves this week amid a clampdown from the Department for Veterans’ Affairs on use of the word Anzac on products, triggered by the public outcry over Woolworths’ ‘Fresh in our memories’ campaign.
On Tuesday evening Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Michael Ronaldson called the supermarket giant demanding it pulled the campaign because it had not been authorised to use the word Anzac, which is protected under an Act of Parliament.
This issue is rapidly turning into a case study of what happens when agencies only hire “hipsters with attempted beards”, with poor education, no sense of propriety, taste, ownership of ideas.
For them, everything’s up for grabs, no matter how sacred it might be to some.
Nothing has any value, nothing is respected. “Whatever works” works.
No, it doesn’t. This is the reckoning.
Maybe out of this growing fiasco, agencies will see the wisdom of wisdom.
Hiring some smarter, wiser heads who may not wear the right labels nor drink the right boutique beer and attend Coachella every year, but they mix creativity with sense, in context and understand their audiences.
The use of the wording ‘Fresh in our Memories’ which is a direct play on #Woolworths fresh food ad campaigns, was the part I thought was in such poor taste. If they had just used their W logo on the pics, I’d have had no issue.
Putting Gallipoli logo labelled products/ clothes on sale for Anzac Day should be done with a certain and significant amount of money from sales to go to #Legacy and for the treatment of injured returned service people. And only on sale for the Anzac Week or Month then off the shelves.
Annette Haridan, Maslin beach SA 5170
I’m just baffled that no one in the agency or at Woolies (or Target for that matter) didn’t have some alarm bells ringing saying “this is a bit tacky”.
The Woolies campaign just screams inappropriate.
Besides, I agree with John Howard on this. There is way too much focus on Gallipoli as the main story behind Anzac Day. It’s getting a bit out of control.
Where has this Camp Gallipoli thing sprung from this year, how many staff are there and what are their salaries? What benefit do the charity organizations get? They get “any surplus” which could be zero if admin costs are sufficiently high.
Is this not just a normal commercial event?
@mike, tend to agree with your line of thinking… but also see it as an example of choosing quick, cheap and inexperienced agencies (incl. those hipsters you mention). Sometimes in communications it’s worth paying a little more for sage & experienced advice and output – even it takes a week longer…
“this is a bit tacky”
Advertising in general is “a bit tacky”
I’ve been a bit concerned about this.The goods have been on sale for some time.
Retailing linked to a tragedy seems quite out of place.
I have just found out that all staff employed by Target Country have been directed that they are not to wear any ANZAC or Galippoli products to work as of today! This is a travesty, Target and Target Country are approved to sell Camp Gallipoli products! is this the first step in downgrading this part of our National Identity? What’s next, pushing the whole concept of ANZAC to the back of the closet, like an old embarrassing secret, akin to Uncle Trevor and his predilection for sleeping with other men?
@ mike
What the hell does Target’s withdrawal of Anzac branded products have to do with either agencies or hipsters? Your rambling post does nothing to support your ‘wisdom’ argument.
Did a hipster make you a bad coffee today or something?
@Terry, do you write for the Telegraph?
The answer is no.
Anyone who has studied ip knows Anzac , Royal and a few other things like Bradman are protected words regardless of trademark law. Surely there would be plenty of law degrees at these organisations. Although the fact the city of Melbourne allowed the Royal Croquet Club to rent land when their name breaks the law suggests not.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs is Michael Ronaldson, not “Rolandson”.
Yes, clearly beer has nothing to do with Anzac day !
@ Terry
ALL Target not just Target Country are not to wear the provided Employee Tshirts or any Wrist Bands the employees might have brought with all funds being donated
Read the fine print…….
All profits don’t go to the cause, they go to the camp Gallipoli Foundation.
It is not a charity but a ‘not for profit’.
Isnt this corporate approach to selling ANZAC all part of the Free Trade Agreement with the USA?
@Terry, it’s about good taste. Would you want every random in the street wearing a shirt that commemorated the death of a loved one? Would you want a multinational corp profiting from that product? I highly doubt it. There are some things that just should not be touched by brands, and Anzac Day is one of them. Sure, have a donation box, donate a portion of all sales to Anzac charities, but don’t cheapen the legacy by plastering it across sweatshop garb and make a profit from a tragedy.