Doppelganger situation: Similar to KFC MY, foodpanda SG shows delivery heroes unity

 Food delivery platform foodpanda Singapore recently published a Facebook post, that included riders clad in Deliveroo, Grab, McDonald's and Pizza Hut uniform standing together with a fellow foodpanda rider. The food delivery company said in the caption, "Riders assemble! Thank you for your selfless service and dedication. You are the heroes we need in these trying times. #SGunited".

While the ad by foodpanda was an act of showing solidarity, it was strikingly similar to one that was put up by KFC Malaysia on 20 March. KFC Malaysia voiced its support for delivery riders for continuing to serve and satisfy consumers' cravings amid the lockdown. In a Facebook post, KFC placed the drivers clad in foodpanda, Grab, McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut uniforms, and said the abang-abang delivery are "as strong as steel" and they salute the delivery riders who have consumers' backs.

When asked by Marketing, foodpanda said that the post was first published on foodpanda Malaysia's Facebook page on 20 March, and the caption then simply asked consumers to stay home, and let the riders deliver meals to consumers directly instead. The foodpanda Singapore team then reshared the post three days afte, altering the caption.

Addressing the similarity of the social posts, Laura Kantor, head of marketing & sustainability at foodpanda Singapore explained to Marketing that the riders assemble post was created for foodpanda APAC to express the company's support and appreciation for all delivery riders working day and night - regardless of the colour of their shirts and the brands they represent. According to Kantor, the social post had been planned days prior to the published date on 20 March. 

"We have similarly dedicated a post to health care workers in appreciation of the sacrifices that frontline workers have made in these trying times. During such periods, it is crucial for the community to come together and we think it is encouraging to know that companies and competitors can come together to show solidarity and support for each other as we are all in this together," she explained.    

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Meanwhile, foodpanda recently appointed WhiteLabel PR as its new PR partner for the Singapore market. The food delivery company was previously working with W Communications. WhiteLabel PR will be handling strategies and execution of media relations and public communications work for a period of one year. Kantor said the company is happy to start this collaboration with WhiteLabel PR and build brand awareness not only in its traditional restaurant delivery offering, but across all of its new verticals. 

foodpanda was launched in Singapore in 2012 and has since expanded its services to include on-demand delivery service of groceries, flowers and household essentials with the introduction of pandamart and pandanow earlier this year. The food delivery company recently partnered with WhyQ to offer Singaporeans with local and hawker food inventory in the country. Currently, there are more than 300 hawker stalls already live on foodpanda, with an aim to onboard an additional 80 hawker centres across the island by the end of the year. 

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