Advertisers are beginning to realize that a viral video may be a short-term goal, but it takes an entire successful social campaign to slug a home run.
Remember when the “Wassup?” Budweiser commercial turned into an oft-repeated catchphrase? Today, videos go viral every day. Creating a memorable ad is only half the battle, because customers on the web crave a more social experience.
It’s become practically mandatory for a major brand to maintain its presence on social media, so today’s challenge is how to stand out from the noise.
Customers are attracted to humanized companies, those that show off character and personality. Major corporations are relying on clever marketing strategies, quick wit and the Internet’s viral nature to broadcast their voices. Finally, humor has always been a huge seller for advertising.
But ad agencies are getting bolder with their campaigns as the digital and traditional lines continue to blur. Brands are incorporating Internet memes into commercials, and TV characters are playfully bashing the same company they’re endorsing. We’ve seen comedy websites collaborate with major corporations, and more frequently, comedians seem to appear just as frequently as high-profile celebrities.
We’ve gathered 10 of the sassiest brands that are accomplishing bold campaigns with social media. What do you think? Should brands let their hair down or maintain professionalism? Let us know in the comments below.
The fast food chain has some of the wittiest responses to its followers on Twitter, and pretty much to anyone tweeting about tacos.
The brand applauds consumers for eating at Taco Bell. It even references pop culture, like this tweet about Mean Girls. Your Taco Bell tweet could potentially make it to a Times Square billboard.
A brand that relies heavily on delivery, Domino's has found an ingenious way to get the word out: a scooter that shouts "Domino's!" and "pizza!"
Domino's also created a iPad app called Pizza Hero to bring in more hires.
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, Kraft let two women in their 80s take over the brand's social accounts. Using the hashtag #OldBirdsNewTweets, followers joined the conversation as they learned about memes, Internet slang and technology.
Kraft also posted videos of the women discovering concepts like planking.
Old Spice's brand has evolved along with its spokespeople over the years, from Isaiah Mustafa to the more recent guy who dumps Heather Graham.
But Old Spice's odd, super manly tone of voice and mashup of Internet culture has stayed pretty consistent over the years.
Pepsi teamed up with Funny Or Die for a marketing stunt in which improv comedians impersonated your Facebook persona.
The "Internet Taste Test" required fans to opt in, then based on their profiles, would create a 30-second clip of what they'd act like trying their product.
As Sony's "vice president" of various fake departments of PlayStation, Kevin Butler has done everything from announce products from "the future" to invade people's homes, all in the name of the company.
The character is now on Twitter, where he keeps the same humorous persona for more than 122,000 followers.
The beer company's most recent ad mantra is "No Bollocks," which is why its Facebook cover photo features snarky slogans that make fun of overused beer advertising devices.
The brand has even posted billboards that jab at competitors like Stella Artois.
The shoe company named Danny McBride's Eastbound and Down character, Kenny Powers, as the new
'CEO" of K-Swiss. In the hostile takeover, a foul-mouthed Powers (which he's known for on the show) disses the brand.
The result? More than 3 million views on the video alone. And K-Swiss has continued the campaign, which included Powers' involvement in Tournaggeddon.
Skittles is known for its oddly funny commercials, and its social media accounts express an equally wild imagination.
From turtles with doorbells to cuddling bananas, the brand's voice is consistently zany across all accounts. And with 21 million fans on its Facebook page, the approach appears to be working.
The "Get Crackin'" campaign has featured gossip fixtures and Internet memes, such as Honey Badger, the Winklevoss twins and Snooki. The brand responds to followers on Twitter with the same kind of quirkiness, a tone you wouldn't expect from a nut company.
On Facebook, the brand shares pictures of employees in a giant pistachio suit.
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