Virgin Active's Mandela Facebook post causes social media stir
- Carolyn Miller
- Sep 24, 2020
- 2 min read
SMH report, Carolyn Miller interviewed, written by Charmaine Wong and Alexia Attwood
It's the Facebook post that links a legendary political figure with the expansion of a health club chain. Social media users have accused Virgin Active Australia of using Nelson Mandela's death to promote its brand.
As news broke of Nelson Mandela' s death, Virgin Active Australia launched a 'premeditated, complete screw up' on their Facebook page, says marketing expert.
A Facebook post described Sir Richard Branson, the company's founder, as a close friend of Mr Mandela, and said the former president had helped the expansion of the company's health clubs across South Africa.
The post was criticised both on the company's Facebook site and by Twitter users. Carolyn Miller, a panellist on the ABC's Gruen Transfer, which analyses advertising and marketing, said companies should never view a newsworthy death as a PR opportunity. “Considering what Mandela has done in his life, it does seem shallow to associate your brand with him on his death by remembering his involvement in your gym launch,” said Ms Miller.
Jonathan Pease, executive ideas director at public relations agency Tongue, whose clients include Telstra and Gumtree, said Virgin's actions were a “pre-meditated, complete screw up”.
"Virgin were clearly waiting and ready for Nelson Mandela to pass away. I have to wonder who else Virgin is waiting to die. "This is akin to those celebrity photos you see on the wall of your local pizza shop. The photo insinuates that the pizza shop owner knows the celebrity but in truth the celebrity just came in for a pizza!" said Mr Pease.
Sir Richard also drew fire on social media for referring to his health chains while talking about Mr Mandela on the BBC's Newsnight program.
The Facebook post was unlikely to damage the company, said John Roberts, professor of marketing at the University of New South Wales and the London Business School. “I don't think it's going to be an incident that leaves the brand damaged and limping. I think it will be seen as somewhat tacky and somewhat inappropriate.”
The post remains on Virgin Active Australia's Facebook page.
Facebook user Chez Za commented: “Have you no shame? Plugging your health clubs upon the death of a great man?”
Virgin Active Australia defended their actions in a reply to the post, saying: “We don't really need to 'plug' our health clubs on our own Facebook page. It was merely to give a reason to our members for the link with us, Richard and the post itself.”
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