Unified’s Post

OUR NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION OR IS IT BECOMING A NATIONAL DAY OF DISCONNECT? Is Woolworths being unAustralian and politically correct? Will this hurt their brand? I believe the answer is YES. Anytime a big brand buys into a divisive issue there is risk of disconnection from the market. I am supportive of the fact that they are willing to say they stand for something greater than themselves as I believe a brand must convey its brand values and brand purpose. However taking its merchandise off the shelves is denying those who wish to celebrate our national day is lunacy!!! Further it is making a decision FOR the market WITHOUT consulting it. If I was Woolworths Marketing Manager or Business Development Manager I would be ADDING a new indigenous line of merchandise that could be sold. A neutral line of Indigenous product. Whilst I understand the sensitivities around the indigenous viewpoint of this National Day we celebrate there is a percentage of Indigenous who just want to move on and build togetherness. Healing trauma starts with recognition that the past existed but does not define the future. Responsibility for healing that trauma whether is intergenerational or not lies with the individual inflicted with the trauma. Woolworths could be really smart and sell merchandise with red black and gold and then donate the proceeds to an Aboriginal health cause focusing on healing trauma. It would be a controversial move but hard to argue that it's action as being shameful when literally billions could be made from unifying both flags and colours where the money is diverted to improving the life and wellbeing of a minority group that has a decreased life span. This action would have MORE IMPACT than simply eliminating the merchandise and taking a stand that delivers ZERO. . An action that is NOT going to change the inequities that exist for our Indigenous people. It just escalates the noise around an issue that should not be politicised. Your thoughts? #Australiaday #woolworths #boycott

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 🤔 Altar'd State’d State, the faith-based women's fashion boutique, will close all its stores on Christmas Eve this year, prioritizing associates spending time with their families over business. Aaron Walters, CEO of Stand Out For Good, Altar’d State's parent company, expressed the desire to give their hardworking team a well-deserved break. This move reflects a commitment to their mission of making the world better, with 10% of proceeds supporting nonprofits across the country on Mondays. Altar’d State joins other retailers like REI and Target in making similar decisions to prioritize employees and foster a positive work culture. #RetailNews #EmployeeWellbeing #HolidayClosure #AltardState Georganne Bender “Closing on Christmas Eve is on brand for Alter’d State, but for other retailers it’s just too big of a day to not be open.” Cathy Hotka “Store associates everywhere are applauding this move…retailers may not choose to close on Christmas Eve, but the associate experience is important, and others may consider it.” Jeff Sward “I can only applaud this decision. It’s odd that Christmas shopping starts earlier and earlier…and yet those last couple of hours are still considered make or break.” #christmas #holidays #store #retailindustry #analysis #yallo #goyallo #yalloretail

Market Basket (No.366)   In the summer of 2014, the Market Basket supermarket chain in the United States became the stage for one of the most remarkable corporate sagas in recent memory. The controversy unfolded as a result of a power struggle within the Demoulas family, the owners of the company.   At the center of the turmoil was Arthur T. Demoulas, affectionately known as "Artie T.," who was the popular CEO of Market Basket. He was adored by employees and customers alike for his leadership style that prioritized employee satisfaction and customer service.   However, a longstanding family feud between Arthur T. and his cousin, Arthur S. Demoulas, had simmered for years, with Arthur S. seeking more significant financial returns from the company.   In June 2014, the Market Basket board, influenced by Arthur S., ousted Arthur T. from his position as CEO. The sudden and unexpected decision sent shockwaves through the company. In response, employees, including top-level executives and store workers, initiated an unprecedented protest. They rallied behind Arthur T., boycotting work and calling for his reinstatement.   The movement garnered widespread support from customers, who also participated in the boycott, leading to empty store shelves and significant revenue losses for the company. The grassroots movement that lasted for several weeks, necessitating negotiations between the feuding family members and the Board. Finally, in late August 2014, Arthur T. Demoulas reached a deal to buy the remaining shares of the company, allowing him to regain control. The conclusion of the saga was met with jubilation from employees and customers, highlighting the remarkable impact that a united front of stakeholders could have on a corporate power struggle.   It also bought to fore an important question.   What is the right approach to run an organization?   Maximizing shareholder value that would, in turn, maximize employee value? OR Maximizing employee value, that would in turn, maximize shareholder value?   P.S. Some curious facts about Market Basket -They do not have a Union -They do not have a Customer Loyalty Program -They do not have self-checkout lanes in their stores. They believe in a human dealing with a human. -Till 2017, they did not have a website. A customer created an independent site that contained weekly specials and store locations and hours. An official website came up in Oct 2017. -And yes, they are not some small entity. They employ more than 20k people and clocked in revenues of $4 Billion in 2022. #mindset #leadership #shareholdervalue #employeevalue #customervalue #purpose

While the holidays might not be top of mind, corporate and group gifting is keeping us busy behind the scenes! Get ahead of your team & client gratitude this season by offloading gifting to Poppy. Email [email protected] to get started!

Which companies do celebrate Easter? Earlier, I thought it was mostly traditional businesses in sectors like manufacturing. However, statistics show something entirely different: over 95% of our clients who order Easter gifts are actually from the IT industry. Usually, they don't emphasize religious aspects but rather leverage this holiday as an opportunity to provide their employees with gifts like food, coloring books, and more. In addition, some IT companies extend their generosity to the children of their employees. Such an interesting insight. Does your company give gifts to employees for Easter? #EasterGifts #MOODua #NellyTalks

Awareness Days - should you jump on the bandwagon? With days like #NationalTalkLikeAPirateDay and #HugAPlumberDay, it's tempting to join the fun. But with so many awareness days, how do you choose? Here are our tips: 📅 Know your audience: If it's not relevant to them, they won't engage. Celebrating #NationalHugYourPetDay at a pet store is perfect! But at a hair salon? Maybe not. 📅 Consider the day's history: Established days get more traction. Look for ones with a solid track record for better engagement and potential newsjacking opportunities. 📅 Stay local: Make sure the day aligns with your audience's location. Celebrating an American day when you're UK-based? Your audience might not get it. Stick to UK or global days for maximum engagement. Choose wisely and mark your calendars for the days that suit you best! 🎉

#inclusionmatters Thank you, Andre Joyner, for sharing... 🌟 Embracing Diversity Through Fashion: A Spotlight on JCPenney's Hope & Wonder 🌟 Today, I'm inspired by JCPenney's remarkable journey with their Hope & Wonder brand, a vibrant testament to the power of diversity and cultural celebration in corporate America. In 2022, JCPenney introduced Hope & Wonder as a brand and a beacon of inclusivity. Seeing their $1 million investment in cultural initiatives that resonate with America's rich tapestry is heartening. This commitment to celebrating diversity through fashion is a shining example for businesses everywhere. The Creative Coalition, led by the trailblazing Valerie Harris, embodies what it means to bring authenticity and representation to the retail space. Their work highlights the importance of seeing one's culture and heritage reflected in our products. It's not just about apparel; it's about identity, community, and shared history. I'm particularly moved by their choice of beneficiaries like Black Girls Smile and Latinitas. These partnerships go beyond monetary support; they build meaningful connections and uplift communities. As a leader in the professional development space, I see JCPenney's approach as a blueprint for how companies can foster an environment of inclusivity and respect. Their efforts align perfectly with the ethos of creating workplaces where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued. Their journey underscores a crucial lesson: When companies embrace diversity in words and actions, they don't just change brands; they transform lives. Read more here - https://lnkd.in/gX_PtS_Q #DiversityInBusiness #InclusiveFashion #HopeAndWonder #JCPenney

You’ve probably seen tumblers/bottles on a colleague’s or employee’s desks. Especially coming from a brand that starts with the letter “C”  👀 Why do people love them so much? 🤔 Well, aside from just staying hydrated without building up loads of plastic mineral water packaging waste, it turns out that 68% of employees admit that their hydration equipment (read: bottles/tumblers) of choice is related to their self expression. They might want to look classy, or they want to look rugged, or they want to show off their favorite color, and many more self expression stories behind their selection. In Yippy, we love giving gifts that actually align with the recipient's preferences! That’s why we have thousands of gift options for you to send. 🥳 🌐 Check out Yippy’s tumbler collection (or our thousands of product catalog) that you can customize and gift at: https://lnkd.in/g4Bv_JK3

Does 'wokeness' kill a brand? In some ways, yes. Though the term 'woke' has transformed into a label placed upon brands that go beyond their typical audience in support of causes that may not align with their not-so-established values. This commonly results in boycotts, which can damage finances, but at times transform into successful campaigns, like Nike's support of Colin Kaepernick once upon a time. Campaigns allow everyday customers to participate as activists, as their buying power remains to have a collective impact. #PurposeDriven #Campaigns #BudLight #Nike #Boycott

Nearly a decade ago, the president of the Barilla pasta company stated that he would not do advertisements depicting gays because that would not meet his idea of a “classic family.” After some pushback, the company followed up with a statement that if gays and lesbians did not like the message, “they can eat another pasta.” So, I stopped buying Barilla. (Since 2013, the company has changed its tune, and so I’ve softened my stance. But the damage was done—in the interim I learned that De Cecco was better anyway.) By now, several on LinkedIn have shared the recent story of Target stores removing LGBTQ merchandise that was at the center of what the company called “confrontational behavior.” That is another way to say that Target has for many years sold LGBTQ swag to coincide with Pride month (June), but this time around a few people responded threateningly because of posts they saw on social media. Here’s the thing—the angry response was based largely on misinformation (link below). Some denizens of the internet either got it wrong or deliberately made it up in order to… well, I have no earthly idea. But this knowledge brings a few perspectives into focus. In my Barilla example, the company publicly entreated a group of people not to consume their product. As such, the response was not a boycott, merely an invitation accepted. Target did no such thing. It simply stocked shelves in the manner it had done for many years. There was no denigration of customers who disfavor LGBTQ products. Don’t like ’em? Don’t buy ’em. When an option exists to simply decline a product or service and the response is anger and threats, the diagnosis is bigotry. So, what to do? Consumers must insist on veracity and verification of their information. After all, the Target flap was based in part on misinformation. Next it could be your favorite brand that finds itself the victim of fake internet nonsense and risks an unjustified boycott. If that sounds unfair, then we should all take steps to avoid being sucked into the vortex. Demand reporting from reliable media and if something is shared by a nameless social media account or avowed partisan, by default, best to assume it is false. That’s a good standard for the times we’re in. Finally, companies need to prepare for this stuff. A tiny number of people hyped false information about a company on the socials, which presaged a 10-figure reduction in market cap, to say nothing of threats to associates’ safety. Leaders need to grapple with the fact that disproportionately angry individuals, fueled by fake news, may take a swing at their workers and their stock price. It takes resolve, but I can only hope the leaders choose to defend good decisions while taking steps to bring down the boil wherever possible. https://lnkd.in/gjp9-6jf