Not-So-Fresh Approach: Lessons Learned from Whole Foods’ Poppy PR Predicament

When it comes to big brands and holidays, most consumers expect companies to go overboard, piggybacking and even taking advantage of events and celebrations to drive major sales and traffic. It’s rare to see a well-known enterprise to omit a holiday from its in-store décor or pricing, but to ban its very presence entirely in the interest of “consistency and safety across stores” is almost unheard of.

Grocery chain Whole Foods was the subject of recent ridicule as it was revealed the company had banned employees from wearing poppies leading up to Remembrance Day (November 11th) in Canada. The U.S.-based company has since reversed its decision on the ban, after stumbling through a slew of bad communications decisions that earned the attention of multiple government officials, competitive grocery chains, employment lawyers and potential shoppers on both sides of the border.

Want to save your company from the same embarrassment? Here are three immediate lessons from the whole debacle we can all learn from:

1.       Be flexible

When the story initially broke that employees weren’t allowed to wear poppies as part of their uniforms, Whole Foods doubled down on their decision, issuing a statement that wearing a poppy could be construed as “supporting a cause,” and therefore against their corporate rules. No items (be they trinkets, buttons, stickers or in this case, poppies) that support a cause are allowed to be added to uniforms in order to ensure consistency and safety across stores.

While we can understand that Whole Foods wants to keep their stores a safe place for all employees by removing politics and personal beliefs from uniforms, the poppy, a national symbol of support for veterans, should bypass this rule. The Royal Canadian Legion’s annual poppy sales have been an important part of the nation’s celebration of its history and support for remembering those who bravely served and lost their lives. Recognizing the importance of poppies to Canadians coast to coast, this is a cause that SHOULD be supported, not banned.

Key takeaway: Read the room. Keeping a little wiggle room in corporate policies to allow for exceptions like this could spare you the headache of having to flip-flop and make last-minute, very public, VERY embarrassing revisions down the line. Plus, it will keep your brand from seeming like they haven’t thought things through thoroughly.

2.       Know your audience

Whole Foods shoppers are a diverse demographic, but one common thread among them is clear – they care. Whether it’s about the organic produce they snack on or the fair-trade or local ingredients they use in their meals, Whole Foods shoppers care about what they put in—and on—their bodies. They care for their communities and care for their neighbours.

They likely care about veterans. But, in trying to not offend anyone with its ban on uniform additions, Whole Foods ended up offending an entire nation.

By banning poppies, Whole Foods made a decision to not care about what their customers care about. While this could be chalked up to simply being a poor business decision, it was one that could have long-lasting repercussions and could cause shoppers to choose another chain to shop at. It’s an especially horrible choice for a U.S.-based company to position itself as, effectively, anti-veteran.

Key takeaway: paying attention to your company’s target demographic benefits more than just marketing or PR campaigns – showing support for a cause solidifies your brand’s integrity and shows that you care about what truly matters to your clients/customers/guests. This is particularly important as of late when consumers are looking for brands that stand up and make a difference in the communities they serve.

3.       Pivot

It’s been said that not all negative PR is bad PR, but for Whole Foods, this was unfortunately the case. In trying to respond to the outcry against their decision to ban poppies, Whole Foods just added fuel to the fire with its initial statement. Standing behind a corporate policy can be a good thing, but when the decision has generated not only public concern, but statements of disgust from provincial and federal government officials – to the point where a provincial motion was passed to make the act of banning poppies illegal – it’s not a good look.

This could have been an opportunity for Whole Foods to show how much it cares for its customers and communities, but instead became a point of humiliation as the company back-pedaled its statement and attempted to reinforce its support for veterans. Had Whole Foods initially responded with an announcement supporting poppy sales and spotlighting initiatives or local events for Remembrance Day, they could have mitigated a lot of the initial negative response.

Key takeaway: Negative can only be turned into positive press if the opportunity is recognized, understood, acknowledged and addressed promptly, appropriately and foremost sincerely. When the spotlight is on your company, it’s an opportunity to showcase the good that your brand does for its community—as long as it’s relevant and genuine. Keep your statements on-message and show—don’t tell—how your brand is supportive of the cause that’s in question.