Social media marketing is for grown-ups. Naturally, adults come in all ages, because adulthood is about exercising emotional maturity, not about circles around the sun.
Case in point, Wendy’s social media team decided to support its own product launches (Wendy’s has launched a Breakfast Baconator, a Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit, and a Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant to its menu) by attacking McDonald’s most popular breakfast item in a Tweet.
Here lies mediocrity. #EggRIPMuffin pic.twitter.com/fYxcn8LObe
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) February 28, 2020
Hey, it works for the President and it also worked for Popeye’s. But is it working as desired for Wendy’s? I don’t know. Does Wendy’s have a rabid following that’s ready to spread its snark all over the digital place?
McMuffins for Everyone (with the McApp)
McDonald’s responded to a snarky Tweet from Wendy’s with cool detachment and a timely product sampling promotion.
Oh, and the Egg McMuffin–which was introduced nationwide in 1975—has its own day dedicated to it.
It’s the morning your breakfast dreams are made of. Happy National #EggMcMuffinDay! pic.twitter.com/wtYyCEZzuv
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) March 2, 2020
Maybe, it’s McDonald’s with the more rabid following.
Great, now you can be disappointed for free
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) February 28, 2020
Depending on your brand preference and your tolerance for social media, Wendy’s Tweets are either snappy retorts or branded embarrassments in 240 characters or less.
Trix Are for Kids, But Always-On Omnichannel Marketing Is Not
When I consider who runs social media marketing and content marketing (two parts of an important whole) at large consumer brands, I’m baffled. To operate a successful Marcom account in the social spheres, it takes people with expertise gained through experience.
By comparison, analog ad making is a cakewalk. You sit in a room with your creative partner and come up with ideas, day after day until one of the ideas is deemed best. Then a methodical production process kicks in. All told, the making of a TV commercial or print campaign can take many months. Social media, on the other hand, is a fast-moving river. You can plan your excursion, and brands do, but there are rapids and boulders and logs everywhere. The degree of difficulty is high.
Furthermore, when you place and run a print ad or TV spot, there’s no one on the other side ready to pounce and/or promote. Not so in social.
