Voice of London

Paper Chase, a favourite among the UK public for Christmas gift shopping and wrapping papers, recently faced some negative feedback from customers on Twitter over their promotional partnership with the Daily Mail.

The stationery company expressed regret and promised to review all customer feedback.

What followed was a massive wave of people expressing their disappointment– some saying they would revoke customer loyalty by switching to different brands.

#StopFundingHate, a hashtag started by an organisation with the same name, seeks to promote brands with ethical advertising, and expose brands who advertise with outlets that are seen as “divisive”. Stop Funding Hate has a list of brands they view as practicing “ethical advertising”, view it here.

Their Twitter account bio reads: “Don’t hate the media– change the media. Help us take on the divisive hate campaigns of the Sun, Daily Mail & Daily Express.”

They believe that British outlets the Sun, Daily Mail and Daily Express, promote division and spread negativity especially towards minority groups, and companies who advertise on these outlets “fund the hate”.

On Monday morning, Paperchase issued a public apology on their Twitter page, saying “we now know we were wrong”.

A spokesman from the Daily Mail told PR Week that it was “deeply worrying” that Paperchase allowed itself to be “bullied into apologising” due to the negative reaction on Twitter and other social media.

The spokesman also said that this was their only promotion with the Daily Mail and Paperchase did not have any further plans to advertise with the outlet in the future.

In response to StopFundingHate, Daily Mail told PR Week: “It is one of the fundamental principles of free and fearless journalism that editorial decisions are not dictated by advertisers or commercial partners, and we are sure the PR industry will be as appalled as we are by Stop Funding Hate’s attempts to threaten the Mail and other newspapers.”

Words: Ainaa Mashrique

Updated on 22/11/2017