How 10 Brands Succeeded and Failed At #Blizzardof2015
By Jeremy Eisenberg - January 27, 2015
Do you remember Oreo's You Can Still Dunk in the Dark Tweet during the SuperBowl Blackout? This tweet was retweeted almost 15,000 times. The company received thousands of new Twitter followers and nearly 20,000 new Facebook likes.
If done right, this kind of genius real-time marketing is a great opportunity for brands to engage large audiences!
Yesterday, in what was touted to be the blizzard of the century because it was supposed to drop 2-3 feet of snow on us poor East Coasters, brands had a chance to get some exposure on Twitter with the two trending hashtags, #blizzardof2015 and #Snowmageddon2015.
Some did a better job than others, and some missed the mark completely. Let's take a look at what has happened so far.
The Awesome Tweets
Real-time marketing can be intimidating! You have to get the right tone, make sure your message cannot be misunderstood or taken the wrong
So with most of the Northeast banning travel by car, NYC subways closing down, as well as NJ Transit trains, there isn't a whole lot to do. So as long as you still have power, and have a lot of time on your hands, why not binge watch your favorite shows?
Great tweet by Netflix, used the appropriate hashtag, however, no call to action. If they would have promoted this using a Twitter card, and a sign up for free trial and watch button, that would have rocked.
Yotel also took advantage of the hashtag and the situation by using a Twitter card with a "Book Now" button. The tone is right, the message gives you a cozy warm feeling and if you are stuck in the snow out there, that is all you want.
I love this one from Puerto Rico Tourism, it's funny, has the complete opposite of what people are posting, and it links back to their site. I would have made this a Twitter card and promoted it, maybe linking to a travel guide for Puerto Rico or a discount package. This is the post to see for someone who is thinking of getting away before the next storm (which is in a few days from now).
This one is for all the foodie's out there - or all the people who ended up with no bread after everyone went into panic buying mode in The Big Apple (Baby Kale recipes would have not worked, if you know what I mean...) Take Food52's approach and show a mouthwatering picture of artisan bread, the trending hashtag, a link to recipes with the advice: Just Keep Cooking. I will definitely give this baguette a try tomorrow, only so much sledding with the kids I can do.
Leave it to Google to show us how we are searching to prep for the snowstorm, I mean how else would we know how to prepare? Think ahead, or for ourselves? Google choose the #Snowmageddon2015 hashtag, put in a link to their crisis map, and the top search terms. Very Google.
And The Not So Great
The right timing is a key to real-time marketing. I saw this tweet after 8pm but the blizzard warning was in effect starting at 12 noon. If you haven't stocked up on toilet paper and other essentials, a $1 coupon is not going to make you go back outside in the treacherous snow. Not sure if this was the best approach, but who doesn't need TP, so a coupon is always good.
I do not have an SUV or all wheel drive vehicle, so my car slipped in the snow way before it got really bad. So Lincoln promoting a tweet showing one of their nice SUV's in the snow is a good idea. However, while they were targeting the Blizzard hashtag, they didn't use it, instead their own brand hashtag? Why? Also no call to action, they could have asked you to set up a test drive, build your model online, compare models etc. Missed opportunity there.
Join.me and Citrix's Go to my PC both promoted tweets, both used wintery pictures, both talked about working from home, both gave links to click on. Join.me used a Twitter card, Go to my PC didn't, but both didn't mention either hashtag. Yes, they both promoted to the hashtag but come on, this is exactly what promoting a post is about. If you are not saving lives, you should not go into work putting yourself and others at risk. This is one reason why these applications exist.
Another cute one, this time from Jim Beam. I am sure liquor stores were just as busy as grocery stores, and what better way to deliver some bourbon than in a sled? Could have used a link to their site, newsletter or maybe a directory of liquor stores closest to where you are. Just saying.
Dairy Queen, seriously. You have a product called Blizzard, people are superimposing it over the snow maps. "Stay Warm, Spoon On" was the best that you could think of? You are replying to twerps, sending some of them free gifts, but not promoting your product? This is one of the biggest misses I saw during the #blizzardof2015.
What tweets did you see that made you laugh?
Any companies you think should've tweeted that stayed silent? Let me know in the comments.