A saucy recruitment campaign has landed Sainsbury’s in hot water with jealous husbands and wives this week.
Go deeper with GlobalData
In a bid to fill 400 positions at a new store opening in Hazel Grove, Stockport, the supermarket giant bought a list of mobile phone numbers of local people from a direct marketing agency, and sent every number a raunchy message in typical text-speak.
“I wnt u, I need u, I cnt get enuff of u,” the text message read.
It was not until the recipients had scrolled past the picture of a smiling, winking face that they realised where the message originated. Some didn’t get that far, however, too busy caught up in rows with loved ones over the possibility of extra-marital affairs. Those who did saw the words, “Sainsbury’s is recruiting at a new store” and the number of the Stockport Jobs Centre, which was inundated with complaints.
Linda McGee, manager of the job centre, told the Daily Mail: “I was not aware that a text message was being sent and if I had seen the content it would not have gone out in that form.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData“Sainsbury’s have apologised to me and my team.”
Within hours, Sainsbury’s had withdrawn the initiative, and a spokesman said: “Sainsbury’s is always looking at innovative ways to communicate job opportunities. This text message recruitment campaign was undertaken with best intentions, aimed at students and young people using a light-hearted, fun approach.
“Whenever we cause upset, we’ll take action, whether it’s one complainant or 100. But this was very successful
“’This was a trial and we will look at whether we’ll do this again.”
A total of 80 people were recruited on the back of the campaign.
