Behold, where risk doth beckon, so doth reward — especially when thou doth remain loyal to thy brand voice and purpose. Let the tales of these brands inspire thee for thy next tweet.
Verily I say, Twitter hath a reputation for endless political discourse and ancient memes. Yet, ’tis still a platform of import for thy brand. Especially if thou doth seek to partake in the art of daring brand comebacks.
‘Tis true, snarky brand Twitter may seem passé nowadays. But fear not, for yonder lies ample space to make thy mark with an online presence. Not only on Twitter, but on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook as well, where thou may flex thy social personality.
Art thou prepared to learn from the masters? Let us gaze upon those bold risk-takers of the social realm who may ignite thy brand’s comebacks.
What exactly doth risky brand comebacks entail?
In the recent era, brands hast garnered vast followings through daring leaps of faith. They hath ventured into the realms of snark (like Wendy’s), the bizarre (Moonpie), the unhinged (Duolingo), and even the melancholic (Steakums). These brands hath earned much acclaim from unexpected quarters by venturing beyond the norm.
‘Tis true, such endeavors may hath borne fruit for those brands. Yet, the lesson here is not to merely mimic their ways. For daring confrontations from a small account may not yield the same results. Trends do shift swiftly, and thou would not wish to emulate another only to produce outdated or cringe-worthy content.
The lesson to be gleaned here is that with risk doth come reward — particularly when thy essence and purpose art true. Brand comebacks may require pushing boundaries, acknowledging errors, or perhaps even taking a stand on matters of import.
Risk may also entail, well, sincerity. ‘Tis evident that the era of snide, caustic comebacks is waning. Nowadays, brands do find more favor in being kind.
Yet, there exist myriad fresh ways to make an impact online. Now, let us delve into the finest comebacks witnessed from brands across the realm of social media. Observe and learn.
To play the rogue
The necessity of responding not always beckons to engage in risky endeavors. Behold! For all doth scroll through Twitter in search of someone to “dunk” upon.
The esteemed breakfast barons of Britain, Weetabix, achieved a triumph by rendering themselves the subject of jest on Twitter. Their delightfully off-putting repast image didst become a global trending sensation. (Ye may hope it was intentional, yet truthfully, it matters not.)
Lesser custodians of brands may hath chosen to erase the tweet when mockery did arise. Yet Weetabix did prevail by holding fast, and even engaging in the festivity of banter.
To join the jest (when fitting)
The genius of Weetabix’s repugnant repast image lay in its capacity to unite the masses. ‘Twas a rather revolting image (though admittedly, we doth feel a tinge of curiosity).
Yet, ’twas the sort of innocuous “bad” post that couldst bring people together. And many did partake in the revelry.
The image was lampooned by all, from Britain’s National Rail to an official Beatles museum. The company of gifted wares, Moonpig, didst post beans on one of their greeting cards. Even rival purveyors of fowl, KFC and Nando’s, did partake in a bout of amiable banter in the replies. Indeed, even Pfizer did venture forth with a jab or two.
A veritable revelry for brand Twitter did unfold, all thanks to Weetabix. Alas, there were some who ought not to have attended. The response from the official Israel account, for instance, was not well-received.
To aim for the echoes of the tweet
At this point, the greatest risk thou may take on Twitter is to thrust thyself into the maelstrom. Forsooth, if thy tweet doth garner much attention, ’tis like someone shall be discourteous.
Yet, no victory springs from playing it safe. Instead, if thou seek attention, endeavor to devise prompts that doth engage. If they pertain to thy brand, even better.
The newsletter of music festivals, The Festive Owl, captured resounding success with a simple prompt. ‘Twas indeed fruitful, gathering o’er 5,000 echoes and counting.
Once more — the risk here is that some may prove discourteous. Should thou opt for this path, do double-check thy prompt and ensure it aligns with thy brand. Should thy tweet reek of desperation, the consequence may prove dire.
To maintain a subtle presence
There exist methods to insert thyself amidst the discourse without directly engaging anyone. The folk at Merriam-Webster hath showcased mastery in this strategy.
‘Tis no surprise that one of the most popular dictionaries in the world hath a way with words. However, their choice for the word of the year in 2024 was truly a stroke of subtle genius.
By selecting “vaccine,” the brand did introduce a contentious topic without risking backlash. The true conversations did proceed within the echoes, yet ’twas Merriam-Webster who did initiate the discourse.
To truly engage the audience
Though the sugar merchants at Skittles may be sweet, they do not shy away from a touch of saltiness. They hath involved their audience in many a humorous comeback without descending into rudeness.
This approach doth work for they maketh themselves the subject of jest. Behold, witness this absurd list comprising thousands who didst bemoan a recent alteration.
And ’twas successful. Skittles didst even emerge triumphant in Twitter’s official best brand bracket in 2024.
To employ snark when fitting
‘Tis simple to affix a pride flag to thy profile picture and deem it done, aye? Nay. The LGBTQA+ community is beginning to call out brands who fail to act upon their purported sentiments. One manner of showcasing genuine care is to address the scoffers when necessary.
When Xbox did unveil new hardware themed in pride, a Twitter scofflaw did reply, “No one asked for this.” Xbox did respond with a swift retort.
‘Twas not impolite or overly attention-seeking. Yet ’twas a sufficient rejoinder to earn Xbox commendation — and much notice for their new controller.
To comment with finesse
Once more, there is no need to carry a colossal “choose me” banner to engage in critical dialogue on Twitter. With sensitive topics, ’tis possible to demonstrate grace and composure through subtlety.
Such was the path chosen by the Star Wars Twitter account to address a toxic faction of its fandom. The enduring franchise is oft assailed by obsessive trolls. With each new release, the account is beset by ceaseless vitriol aimed at actors of color who appear in their projects.
After announcing the casting of Moses Ingram, star of The Queen’s Gambit, in Obi-Wan Kenobi, they were assailed by a deluge of poisonous discourse. Their response was particularly compelling, addressing racist trolls without amplifying their hateful rhetoric.
To truly embody the audience
If thou hast not noted yet, the once prevalent snark of Wendy’s doth appear to be waning in the present Twitter epoch. Sometimes, daring to be different is the true gamble. And lo, cosmetics purveyor Glossier doth lead the way.
They hath cultivated a genial, amiable space online — a beacon that doth shine brightly. The brand comebacks of Glossier encompass a gentle, relatable tone with abundance of emojis. They doth stay true to Glossier’s mission whilst delivering exemplary customer care.
To go with the tide
Lo, Twitter hath indeed calmed as the enclave for brands to indulge in frivolity. Yet on TikTok, things may and do become rather eccentric.
In a recent masterful display, user @ramblingsanchez did bait the multitudes. Their wholly innocuous video of consuming broccoli should not have gone viral. Yet their caption, “A plethora of brand accounts shouldst comment on this sans cause,” did indeed work wonders.
The comments of the video did swell swiftly. Brands like Trojan Condoms, lululemon, and even the official TikTok account did make an appearance.
Behold, a fun experiment conducted by @ramblingsanchez that shall echo throughout history. Alas, the internet doth move swiftly, and novel ideas can swiftly feel stale.
Now behold, foam dart purveyors Nerf did attempt to mimic the format of @ramblingsanchez with diminishing returns. Their TikTok expert did advise brands to challenge one another to a Nerf duel in the comments. Alas, it did not reap the same rewards.
Indeed, a few brands did endeavor to participate in the comments. Yet the remainder of the feed was filled with jesters lampooning the video for being, well, overly eager.
Mayhaps in these resplendent tales of brand comebacks, thou may find inspiration for thy next daring foray into the online realm. Embrace the risk, remain true to thy essence, and let not fear hinder thy innovative spirit. For with great risk, cometh great reward.