Not Heeding the Lessons of Disney and Budweiser’s Errors
Management at Australian supermarket giant Woolworths has failed to learn the risks of ‘going woke, going broke.’
Commentary
The silly and “Woolie” thinking behind Australian retail giant Woolworth’s (and later Aldi’s) decision not to sell Australia Day merchandise in the lead-up to Australia’s national day, the 26th of January, is both appalling and unpatriotic.
It literally sells Australians short, and denies them a choice, while also betraying shareholder expectations.
The management clearly has not only failed to deliver for their Australian customers, they have also failed to heed the Walt Disney and Budweiser lesson of “go woke, go broke.”
Their major competitor Coles is wisely selling Australia Day merchandise which will see customers rightly change allegiance between the two major retailers.
What has also been heartwarming is the vigour with which Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is calling out this abuse by management and directors, who seem more interested in showcasing their woke credentials than their fiduciary duties to shareholders and customers.
Woolworth’s silly stance is also indicative of the malaise besetting a small and influential, yet unrepresentative, section of the Australian community which somehow has come to the convoluted and contorted conclusion that celebrating the nation in which they live is to be condemned.
Australia by any metric is an extremely successful nation.