John Harrington
Sep 12, 2022

Brands urged to ‘read the room’ as UK mourns

Marketers have been advised to tread carefully on social media as a period of mourning for the Queen begins, amid a backlash at posts from some brands

Brands urged to ‘read the room’ as UK mourns

Criticism was leveled last week at a number of brands for posting tributes to the Queen that some perceived as being in poor taste. This was especially true of posts that incorporated logos or other branded elements:

 

 

 

 

Separately, there's a concern that scheduled social media posts from brands that could now feel inappropriate will need to be deleted.

 

 

The official period of mourning is set to last for 10 days from 9 September and brands will need to be alert to the general mood over this time and adapt their posts and campaigns.

 

One comms professional has put together a guide for brands:

 

 

Stephanie Bennett, managing director of UK PR agency Battenhall, offered succinct advice:

 

On Friday, The Government issued guidance for the public and businesses on the use of social media and websites during the period of mourning. It says: "Online communication channels can... be used to reflect the demise of Her Majesty and participate in the period of National Mourning.

 

"Organisations can acknowledge the mourning period by making changes to the homepage of their website, for example, with the use of black edging or black banners. Organisations and individuals may also wish to share their memories of Her Majesty online.

 

"There is no set way to mark the passing of Her Majesty on social media. Organisations may wish to review their planned content for the period. Any changes to websites or social media pages should take into consideration accessibility requirements for visually impaired users."

 

(This article first appeared on PRWeek.com)

Source:
Campaign India

Related Articles

Just Published

2 hours ago

Influence, interrupted: How India’s creator economy ...

From content to commerce, influencer marketing in India is maturing into a data-led, tech-sustained, outcome-driven growth engine.

19 hours ago

Adgcraft’s new AI vertical bets on India’s ...

As India doubles down on AI, Adgcraft positions itself to shape the narrative for the country’s tech-first future.

20 hours ago

Good Morning Films wins big at CIFCA 2025

Campaign India’s Film Crest Awards spotlight standout work in ad and corporate films, judged for craft, execution, and storytelling.

1 day ago

Where are India’s women at the global table?

Despite talent and tenacity, Women Inspiring Network’s founder rues that Indian women remain underrepresented on global stages like Cannes and Davos. Networks, not just skills, are the missing link.