Expect the Unexpected: How Corporate Twitters are Changing the Game

Have you ever looked at a tweet and thought. “Go home. You’re drunk.” If you take a look at the Twitter accounts of some corporations, that thought might cross your mind too. Social media marketing is a recent development in the advertising world. There isn’t a right way to market on social media, but a few companies have strayed from, what most would call, a traditional marketing approach. Companies like Taco Bell, Denny’s and Old Spice have taken their Twitter marketing to another dimension that is almost hard to describe. Don’t believe us? Check these Tweets out.

@OldSpice Is your deodorant made with really old spices?

— Taco Bell (@tacobell) July 9, 2012

The largest group of Twitter users are ages 15-25, and Taco Bell gets that no 15-25 year old is going to care about a generic “Come to Taco Bell. We have tacos.” tweet. Their strategy isn’t solely to push their message (to eat Taco Bell), but also to appeal to their target audience. Giving their followers a dose of unexpected humor is a great way to call attention to their brand and gain a consistent following on their social media platform.

@chrissyteigen You’re flawless. 💁 — Taco Bell (@tacobell) April 24, 2015

Taco Bell has succeeded on social media because it knows their brand. They accept that they are a restaurant normally visited on a whim or late at night and they use that to their advantage. Beyond that, they are great at acknowledging their fans, regardless of fame. Denny’s definitely took a few notes from Taco Bell’s Twitter manual. They, like Taco Bell, tweet funny things to appeal to a younger audience. Following Denny’s on Twitter is like following your friend, especially if your friend is a diner. Their tweets reach beyond their business, which makes them all the more entertaining. (They tweeted this after American Pharoah won the Kentucky Derby.)  

good day for thoroughbreads pic.twitter.com/8iHS7gC9a3

— Denny’s (@DennysDiner) May 2, 2015

One way Denny’s stays ahead of the curve is by employing an outside advertising agency to handle their social media accounts; this approach provides a different perspective and allows them to be more creative while creating buzz about their client.

(•_•) <) )╯ PAN / \ \(•_•) ( (> CAKES / \ (•_•) <) )> PLS / \ — Denny’s (@DennysDiner) June 4, 2014

Old Spice takes a more consistent approach to their advertising: they use outlandish and humorous approaches already. This started with their “Smell Like a Man, Man” commercial campaign. The agency responsible for that campaign brought it to the Internet and made hundreds of videos for their campaign, creating a viral sensation. They mirror that persona on their social media, specifically their Twitter.  

Safety first. But after that it’s danger, reckless fury and hedonism. — Old Spice (@OldSpice) March 24, 2015

Old Spice also knows the importance of customer care and they pay attention to who tweets at them. Old Spice values their customers’ input, which they make clear through their interactive (and often strange) campaigns and websites. They get their customers involved and that keeps their business thriving.

You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. But you make 0% of the shots you do take but miss. So, now you’re at 50%, which isn’t bad. — Old Spice (@OldSpice) August 12, 2012

Taco Bell, Denny’s and Old Spice know their brand and their target audience, and they use Twitter to enhance that – and their presence in the lives of younger Internet users. They stay relevant simply by being relevant. All three use humor and originality to advertise their company as something other than what they are and make them companies that understand their customers. Without their social media presence, Taco Bell, Denny’s and Old Spice would be regular companies with regular customers. Their ability to appeal to a target audience makes them unique, and it makes them successful.