More renowned for their tea and scones the Women’s Institute have turned to social media to help calm a storm in a tea cup.
The feisty females are hoping a facebook fan page may persuade the makers of Yorkshire Tea to reinstate their complimentary cuppas. They are banking on the support of their 200,000 ladies and fellow facebook users to reverse the decision to turn the tap off their favourite tea.
When the National Federation of Women’s Institutes decided they needed a legal relationship for products they promoted a contract was issued to the tea’s makers but the deal turned sour with Taylor’s of Harrogate and the plug was pulled on a 20 year sponsorship. The charity board does not allow promotion of free products without a contract so the 6,000 branches have now had their last goody bags thanks to the NFWI who did not even consult it’s members about the issue.
The WI ladies do not give up on their passions without a bun fight and it’s not the first time the 96 year old organisation has turned to unorthodox methods to further a cause… their genteel image was shaken to the core with a nude fundraising calendar that inspired the 2003 film Calendar Girls. But the forward thinking ladies laughed off the storm in a D-cup and a new generation of ladies who make lunch an artform were born.
Beware of judging a book by it’s cover… the twinset and pearl image hides steely resolve and strong opinions that they are not afraid to share as the then Prime Minister Tony Blair found out to his discomfort at a national WI conference of 10,000 ladies who heckled and slow handclapped him in 2000.
Mr Blair has now been ousted by a coalition and the WI announced one of their own by teaming up with Mumsnet last year to make their campaigning more powerful… Let’s hope this foray in to modern marketing helps cut through the red tape and regulations to get Yorkshire Tea back on the menu at the nations halls. Show your support on the “Reinstate our Yorkshire Tea” page by liking it and leaving your thoughts!
Image via Wikipedia
Related articles
- Will Google Ever Be Cleverer Than Mumsnet? (collaboratemarketing.com)
- The Hard Sell: Yorkshire Tea (guardian.co.uk)
- Review: Calendar Girls (thejc.com)
Hi Amanda,
Thank you for getting back to me.
As the WI logo is a licensed trademark, its use requires the signing of a trademark license agreement or the permission of the NFWI. As an individual and not a WI or Federation, you would require the latter. As we have no record of you requesting to use the logo in the aforementioned article, we kindly request that you remove it from the article.
Many thanks for your time and interest in the WI.
Best wishes,
Grant Atkinson
Communications and Events Manager
National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI)
104 New Kings Road, London SW6 4LY
T: 020 7371 9300 (Ext. 207)
Think before you print to save energy and paper. Do you really need to print this email? If you do, print it double sided.
The WI offers women the opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and campaign on wide-ranging issues. Visit http://www.theWI.org.uk for more information.
Incorporated in England & Wales as a Company Limited by Guarantee – No.251 7690
Charity Registration No. 803793 VAT No. 239 4128 57
From: amanda [mailto:amanda@sospr.co.uk]
Sent: 15 March 2011 17:20
To: Grant Atkinson
Subject: Re: The WI logo
There is a link back to the source on the pic. Hth amanda
facebook.com/thesocialmediacafe
From: Grant Atkinson <g.atkinson@nfwi.org.uk>
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:35:49 +0000
To: ‘amanda@sospr.co.uk’<amanda@sospr.co.uk>
Subject: The WI logo
Hi Amanda,
I came across your blog post titled, “Why the WI are using facebook to calm a storm in a teacup,” on the Social Media Café and noticed that you have used the NFWI logo in the piece. Could you let me know where you got it from please? Normally all requests to use the logo come through me.
Kind regards,
Grant Atkinson
Communications and Events Manager
Grant Atkinson
Communications and Events Manager
National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI)
104 New Kings Road, London SW6 4LY
T: 020 7371 9300 (Ext. 207)
Think before you print to save energy and paper. Do you really need to print this email? If you do, print it double sided.
The WI offers women the opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills and campaign on wide-ranging issues. Visit http://www.theWI.org.uk for more information.
Incorporated in England & Wales as a Company Limited by Guarantee – No.251 7690
Charity Registration No. 803793 VAT No. 239 4128 57
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This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
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