Ahead of this weekend’s Coronation celebrations, 70% of Brits think the commemorative brand activity and limited-edition launches are ‘all just PR’, according to the most recent polling from YouGov.
The research found that the majority of the British public believe that brand activity focused on the impending crowning of King Charles III is motivated by the desire to create and maintain a positive public image of themselves, rather than a sincere desire to pay respect to the new King’s Coronation.
Less than one in ten (9%) said they believed that brands sincerely wish to pay tribute to the King and celebrate the next era of the monarchy.
With Royal Family-related stories currently dominating the news headlines and #Coronation and #KingCharlesIII both taking the top trending spots on Twitter and across other social media, it’s no surprise that brands have been quick to get involved.
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While some brands are natural Coronation partners – Waitrose, Selfridges, Heinz and Cadbury all have Royal Warrants – many others could be accused of jumping on the bandwagon, regardless of how well-matched their brand is to the occasion.
And with everything from royal-themed ketchup and caterpillar cakes wearing chocolate crowns to a tea bag company recording a new rendition of the National Anthem, created entirely with the sounds of kettles boiling and teaspoons stirring, it’s easy to se how it can all be a bit much, even for the most fervent Coronation fan.
It’s this lack – or perceived lack – of authenticity which has potential to rub consumers up the wrong way. From that perspective, hitching your wagon so clearly to something which is currently so divisive is a more dangerous approach than it might first appear.
After all, the anti-monarchy sentiment in the UK is stronger now than it has ever been in recent memory, with a distinct sea-change in public opinion since the Queen’s funeral last year. The ongoing cost-of-living crisis has seen UK households struggling through a harsh winter as bills and inflation continue to spiral out of control.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that, against that particular backdrop, a separate recent YouGov poll found that 51% of Brits do not believe the coronation should be publicly funded. Just 32% of us do.
The palpable dip in goodwill towards the Royal Family over the past eight months can be seen across brand engagement as well.
While brands and retailers were quick to pay tribute to the late Queen in September 2022, just 58% of those surveyed felt those gestures were motivated by PR, while three in ten (28%) felt brands sincerely wanted to pay tribute.
Perhaps most chillingly for the future of the Royal Family – and for brands who have publicly pledged their support to them – is the fact that Labour voters (historically not the biggest fans of the monarchy) are now only slightly more likely to believe these tributes are motived by PR.
Three quarters of Labour voters (75%) hold this view, compared to 70% of 2019 Conservative voters. There is no discernible difference in view between age or gender.
Despite this, retailers are reporting a last-minute Coronation-themed boost in sales as shoppers stock up on party food, drink and celebrations, with as much as £200m of extra sales predicted to be riding on the festivities.
Maybe it’s not just the brands who are getting FOMO.
