3 Corporate #TwitterFails and What You Can Learn from Them
Social media is becoming more and more important in effective marketing and public relations. An active, vibrant social media presence can significantly benefit your organization. However, without time and thought, you could make some big mistakes. Here are 3 notable corporate “Twitter Fails” and the lessons you can learn from them:
1. DiGiorno Tweets #WhyIStayed
What Happened? In response to an NFL domestic abuse scandal, victims used the hashtag #whyIstayed to share their stories. DiGiorno Pizza misinterpreted this hashtag and tweeted “You had pizza #whyIstayed.” The company faced significant backlash for its insensitivity. (source)
The Takeaway: Using hashtags can help you engage potential customers and achieve your marketing goals, but you need to do your homework! Before you post, make sure you understand what the hashtag really means and the context in which it was started.
2. KitchenAid USA Insults President Obama
What Happened? In 2012, KitchenAid found itself in a PR disaster after the company Twitter account posted “Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! ‘She died 3 days b4 he became president.’” Turns out that an employee tweeted from the company account instead of their personal account. KitchenAid issued multiple apologies and fired the employee (source).
The Takeaway: Social media managers: make sure that your personal tweets stay personal. If you are not using the company account, LOG OUT.
3. Department of Education Fails a Spelling Test
What Happened? In 2017, the U.S. Department of Education tweeted a quote from the late civil rights leader and NAACP co-founder W.E.B. Du Bois. The problem? The Department of Education spelled his name “W.E.B. DeBois,” proving that even the nation’s education leaders make spelling errors (source).
The Takeaway: Proofread. Proofread. Proofread. And then proofread again.
All in all, these corporate Twitter mistakes highlight the importance of being CAREFUL when using social media. Posting requires substantial planning and thoughtful content creation. Fortunately, AFFIRM has an experienced social media team that would love to assist you! Contact us for more info.
