Plus: Steal these PR ideas from Artemis II; Starbucks announces new tipping options.
Hershey’s announced it will return to using real chocolate in all its candies by 2027. The move comes after weeks of sustained criticism from Brad Reese, grandson of the creator of the famed Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Chocolate fans had rallied to his cause, putting pressure on the candymaker to act.
Though Hershey’s maintains it has always used real milk chocolate in Reese’s products, a flavored substitute had been used in some confections. Reese was skeptical, however, saying he felt “betrayal” when he bit into a Reese’s mini-heart. “It was not edible,” Reese told the AP a month ago.
Hershey’s claims its decision to move back to real chocolate is unrelated to Reese and that the switch has been in the works since last year.
“Consumer preferences for ingredients evolve over time, and we have always responded,” Hershey spokesperson Allison Kleinfelter said. The swap back to chocolate is expected to be complete by 2027.
Reese still isn’t satisfied.
“This is just a P.R. stunt; there’s no victory here,” he told the New York Times. “If they were serious, they would do it right away.”
Kleinfelter said: “We are moving with speed, with changes targeted to begin in 2027, covering formulation, packaging, supply lines and ingredient sourcing.”
Why it matters: People become emotionally attached to products and brands, especially something as nostalgic as candy. Any change, however small, is going to draw backlash. When it’s just consumers, it’s easy enough to ignore (until it starts showing up in the bottom line). But when a major name connected to the integrity of the product itself starts to speak out, changes have to be made.
Hershey’s may have missed a PR opportunity here to bring Reese in and turn him into an advocate and ally by making him part of the reformulation process. By turning a critic into a spokesperson, they may have scored a major victory that could have resulted in another round of positive press. Now, Reese continues to complain, saying the complex process should move faster.
The timing also makes the decision to say Reese’s statements had no impact on the decision ring a bit hollow. Attributing the decision to “consumer preferences” rather than re-embracing their roots and going back to basics may be a missed opportunity. But this is only the beginning of a long PR campaign, not the end. We’ll see how it unfolds.
Editor’s Top Reads:
- Humans are once again on their way to orbit the moon, and NASA’s PR strategy for the historic voyage is worth examining. Obviously, they’re on easy mode: everyone is interested in Artemis II. But they still do have to put in the work to make the space voyage accessible and understandable to an array of audiences around the world. They have a frequently updated press release section of their website with quotes for journalists to choose from. They’re updating their Instagram frequently with jaw-dropping photos of space. And they’re taking time out from the astronauts’ busy space duties to do live shots with media back on Earth. Even if your press announcement isn’t quite as interesting as a lunar orbit, you can still use these same principles for your next campaign: make information readily available on your website, get great art and make principals available for interviews, no matter how busy they are.
- Starbucks announced a new plan to increase bonuses and tips for its partners (read: employees). In a statement posted to their website, Starbucks outlined a plan for incentive bonuses, a weekly pay schedule and new promotion opportunities that are sure to spark new interest for job applicants. The item that most interests the general public, however, is their new tipping opportunities. “Partners will benefit from expanded opportunities to receive tips across more ordering and payment channels — including through Mobile Order & Pay and when using Scan & Pay at the register — making it easier for customers to recognize great service,” the release said. Again, great employer branding. But will a country increasingly experiencing tip fatigue see this as a good thing or as another way to be nickel and dimed at the till? Customers are clearly not the primary audience for this release, but they’re barely addressed. Yes, tipping is already common at Starbucks, but more discussion of the role of tipping at Starbucks and its optional nature could have proved beneficial.
- The U.S. jobs report on Friday far exceeded expectations, delivering 178,000 new jobs when only 59,000 were expected, the Wall Street Journal reported. The growth was driven mostly by healthcare and social assistance, which were responsible for 90,000 of the new jobs. This is yet another twist in a job market that can only be described as “weird.” The unemployment rate also ticked lower to 4.3%, though some of that may be attributable to a large number of people dropping out of the labor market. It all points to an economy that remains unsettled and uncertain. Build your communications plans to be nimble and ready to turn as the economy does … whatever it’s doing.
Allison Carter is editorial director of PR Daily and Ragan.com. Follow her on LinkedIn.
The post The Scoop: Hershey’s goes back to real chocolate after criticism from Reese’s grandson appeared first on PR Daily.
