Sainsbury's and the mysterious case of the Tiger Bread- this story doesn't seem to have left the press since it first emerged that a young customer, Lily Robinson, had written to the leading supermarket retail chain, to question the product name. What seems to have started off as another letter added to the pile at Customer Services, has quickly expanded in to a social media phenomenon. Is this the cynical workings of an incredibly creative PR department or a genuine story from a naive consumer? If you aren't familiar with the story, it all starts with a young girl who writes to Sainsbury's wanting to know why their 'Tiger Bread' isn't actually named after a Giraffe, like its pattern and design would suggest.

The Customer Marketing Manager at Sainbury's, Chris King, kindly writes back to Lily explaining what a great idea it was. A short time follows and before you know it the letter has made its way to Facebook and Twitter and had become a social media phenomenon. One might say what a fantastic example of how social media can work in the most unexpected ways. Sainsbury's today announced that due to popular demand they would now be changing the product name to Giraffe Bread. Brilliant! A product relaunched and to great publicity. However, am I the only one that thinks this is slightly all a bit too convenient? One letter happens to be picked out from thousands, the response happens to make its way on to numerous social media platforms, and now they happen to be relaunching a product as a result? If anyone has seen the letter as well it does look suspiciously 'constructed' in quite a child-like manner- oh what perfect mis-spelling of 'called'- twice! Yet Giraffe (the key product name) is spelt perfectly. Maybe I am being a cynic and sweet Lily really has made a huge impact on Sainsburys' 2012 product line. Either that or they need a pat on the back for fooling us all. Helena Krzeminski