Public Relations Strategies of Woolworths: A Detailed Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of Woolworths' public relations strategies, examining their approach to building and maintaining a positive brand image. The report delves into various marketing campaigns, including their multi-channel summer healthy food range campaign, digital video content promoting healthy frozen meals, and the Anzac Day campaign. It assesses how each piece of material contributes to the overall public relations strategy, highlighting the use of social media, influencer marketing, and partnerships with public relations agencies. The report also addresses a public relations crisis that Woolworths faced, discussing potential strategies for managing the situation. The analysis covers Woolworths' efforts to engage with customers, communicate its values, and respond to public feedback, demonstrating the importance of public relations in establishing and maintaining a strong market presence. The report references academic sources to support its findings, offering a comprehensive overview of Woolworths' public relations practices.

Public Relations

Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Whether a clear corporate message is evident...........................................................................2
Each piece of material contributes to the overall creation of the public relations strategy of
this organisation.........................................................................................................................2
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................4
References..................................................................................................................................5
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Introduction
Public relations are considered to be one of the major aspects that organizations need to focus
on establishing an effective customer base. The public relation plan assists to develop
marketing strategies that can be aligned with the goals and objectives. An effective public
relation plans enhance the capabilities of the organization to develop an effective relationship
with the customers (Czinkota, Ronkainen & Sutton-Brady, 2018). The main focus of the
report is on examining the public relations materials produced by Woolworths. Woolworths
is considered to be one of the largest supermarket chains in Australia. The organization has
more than 995 stores and 115000 employees in Australia. The organization has been able to
establish its brand name in the market by establishing appropriate marketing strategies.
Public relation has also been focused by the organization in order to create a positive image
in the market.
Whether a clear corporate message is evident
The message delivered by Woolworths is considered to be clear and appropriate for the
customers and clients. Woolworths has published public relation materials in order to provide
significant information and develop an effective relationship with the people. It is considered
to be one of the most significant steps to attract more people by providing about the steps that
are being taken by the organization (Armstrong, Kotler & Opresnik, 2016). The materials
have clearly depicted what are the activities are being carried out for ensuring the
development of the society, organization and its stakeholders. The organization has been able
to implement an appropriate marketing strategy in order to develop a brand name in the
market. Woolworths has been able to include all the necessary message in order to create a
relationship and attract people.
Each piece of material contributes to the overall creation of the public relations strategy
of this organisation
Woolworths has launched a multi-channel and digitally led marketing campaign for
supporting its summer healthy food range. The companies’ brand team and internal agency
designed the following campaign for meeting the target audience. The team created content to
depict on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook as well as different media channels, TV
and radio. The ‘#startswith’ challenge in Facebook was introduced for motivating and
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supporting the participants (Mediaupdate, 2017). People were being invited for the challenge
and participate in the seven-week living a balanced challenge. The marketing team selected
four women for representing South African lifestyles and bodies. The customer led a
campaign of the organization invited the audience and there was incredible uptake in robust
engagement and response. The campaign resulted in the creation of motivated woollies
challengers’ community. Two professional chefs were being challenged for making a light
version of the ultimate braai meals. The team selected inspiring and high energy cast for
depicting how it is easy to incorporate easy, delicious and healthy food into the lifestyle.
Apart from this, a series of advertisement on television and in-store messaging and visuals
were carried out for increasing value to social campaigns (Broom, Cutlip & Center, 2009). A
TVC add of 30 second and the South Africans showcases the fresh food. The aim of the
agency was to ensure that the organization introduce an accessible authority which will focus
on trusted food suppliers in order to ensure fresh and healthy foods to the customers. The
organization was able to create a relationship with people by showing its efforts on the
importance of safe and healthy foods.
Professional Public Relations was being appointed by Woolworths as its agency for recording
all the public relations support all across the food business group. The team at Professional
Public Relations would support the head of public relation, sponsorships and community at
Woolworths. The team will provide assistance to marketing and food campaign activities as
well as work with the marketing managers on the local stores. The marketing director,
Andrew Hicks at Woolworths stated that marketing has been evolved that changed in the
structure in the internal team and it is the right time for taking the required support from the
public relation partner (Dawson, 2017). Professional Public Relations is able to show
extensive experience and skills in the Supermarket sector as well with unique footprint and
unrivalled capacity supported the delivery of the campaign at the local and national level.
Manpreet Kaur was being appointed by Woolworth for joining the marketing team as the
public relation manager. He had experience of seven years in relation to communications and
FMCG, media and spanning agency. One Green Bean was also a public relation agency that
had supported the marketing and public relation activities of Woolworths. Woolworths is
considered to be one of the most reputed brands of Australia and the organization has taken
the support of the public relation agency in order to strengthen its marketing channels and
activities (Milligan, 2012).
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Woolworths created a digital video content with Emotive and Carat which was known as ‘My
Perfect Life’ for promoting healthy frozen meals. The content was being through digital
amplification strategy consisting of Woolworth’s owned social influencers, assets, publisher
syndication and social media. The marketing business emotive with carat has created the
campaign (Green, 2015). The creation of content always begins with the audience. It was
being found that Michelle Bridges was able to engage its fan base and knew that the
following humorous approach will grab the attention of many people. The amplification
program was being placed to ensure that the content only reaches to the fans of Michelle but
also to a large number of people. The audience of Emotive first approach towards the social
video has assisted Woolworths and Carat to ensure that the right audiences are targeted and
all across the right platform. The organization had a wide opportunity to interact with the
people with the use of content consisting of the information about Michelle (Dilenschneider
& Bartiromo, 2010). The team of Woolworths was being able to communicate with the
audience about a new range of frozen and healthy meals. The created theme consisted of
short-form pieces addressing the perception that it is very hard to be healthy. At Woolworths,
there is a wide range of delicious nutrition which is being inspired by the passion of Bridges
and assisting Aussie to live a healthier lifestyle.
Anzac Day Campaign was being launched by Woolworths which consisted of the logo of the
organization and the phrase named "Fresh in Our Memories" The phrase was being placed
over the images of the former soldiers. A website was also created associated with the
campaign. However, the campaign got many negative comments on social media which made
it a public relations ‘crisis’. Woolworths stated that it was not a marketing campaign and did
not aim for earning income (Blogspot, 2015). The public relation professionals would have
developed communication strategies for influencing the course of the conflict in order to
provide maximum benefit to the organization. The organization would have taken few steps
for dealing with the situation. Woolworths would have taken down all the posters and the
website. The public relation team would have apologised and taken initiatives after getting
negative feedbacks.
Conclusion
Woolworths has put emphasis on the public relation strategies in order to maintain
relationships with the people and increase their customer base. The marketing team is playing
a significant role in implementing public relation strategies in order to enhance the brand
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name in the market. The public relation materials have clearly depicted how the company is
taking initiatives and providing significant information to the audiences. An establishment of
an effective relationship with the audiences assists to increase the value of the company in the
market. It becomes important for the company to carry out its activities in an ethical and
appropriate manner as per the needs of the people.
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References
Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., & Opresnik, M. (2016). Marketing (5th ed.). England: Pearson
Education UK.
Blogspot. (2015). Woolworths 'Fresh in our Memories' campaign crisis!. Retrieved from
http://publicrelationsbyyas.blogspot.com/2015/05/woolworths-fresh-in-our-
memories.html
Broom, G., Cutlip, S., & Center, A. (2009). Effective public relations (4th ed.). New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall.
Czinkota, M., Ronkainen, I., & Sutton-Brady, C. (2018). International Marketing (5th ed.).
Melbourne: Cengage.
Dawson, A. (2017). Woolworths appoints PPR to its public relations account - Mumbrella.
Retrieved from https://mumbrella.com.au/woolworths-appoints-ppr-public-relations-
account-436372
Dilenschneider, R., & Bartiromo, M. (2010). The AMA handbook of public relations (3rd
ed.). New York, NY: AMACOM, American Management Association.
Green, R. (2015). Woolworths launches new social video campaign with Michelle Bridges
via Emotive and Carat – Campaign Brief. Retrieved from
https://campaignbrief.com/woolworths-launches-new-social/
Mediaupdate. (2017). Woolworths` new summer campaign does `healthy living your way`.
Retrieved from https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/marketing/142698/woolworths-new-
summer-campaign-does-healthy-living-your-way
Milligan, S. (2012). Marketing strategies (6th ed.). Delhi: Research World.
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