If you want to speak the language, be sure you’re doing it right.
Social media marketing can be a dangerous place for brands. On the one hand, unlike traditional marketing social media allows you to let your hair down a little bit (for a great example of this, check out our look at Wendy’s pitch-perfect social media). On the other, there are pitfalls to being a little too informal, particularly when trying to communicate with the blogosphere. The key word there is trying.
The general rule of thumb is: if you’re trying, you’re trying too hard. And trying too hard can earn you the dreaded #FellowKids from your followers.
What is #FellowKids?
As with most things on the Internet, the hashtag that has come to define “trying too hard” owes its origins to a pop culture throwaway gag.
In this case, an episode of the sitcom “30 Rock” in which Steve Buscemi attempts to masquerade as a teenager with exactly the kind of results you’d imagine if you picture Steve Buscemi posing as a teenager.
From there, “How do you do, fellow kids?” became internet shorthand for any company or brand attempting to hop on board a hot new trend and failing spectacularly.
Like, for example, this Tweet from Juicy Fruit that asked people to “see how well they speak fun emoji.”
See how well you speak Fun Emoji: translate this in the comments! pic.twitter.com/CRYFyznOxm
— Juicy Fruit (@juicyfruit) April 3, 2015
The Twitter reaction was predictable, with top comments translating those emojis as, among other things, “our marketers have never used twitter and don’t understand that it doesn’t have a comments section. but emojis are hip!”
Not to be outdone, Chevrolet upped the ante by Tweeting an entire press release out in emojis. Seriously.
There are almost too many examples to count, from the baffling to the cringeworthy.
Seriously, this is what an ad for Almond Milk looks like in 2017.
In some cases, those brands capitalized on their infamy. Like Bagel Bites, for example, who tried really really hard with whatever this is. They clearly entered the fray secure in the knowledge that they were not, in fact, doing this right by issuing this meme.
In fact, for a time it was fashionable to issue a Tweet knowing full well it would get ripped apart for trying too hard, as it did with Toronto politician Norm Kelly, who’s self-aware Tweets left people split as to whether he was trying too hard or was trying too hard on purpose. Because the internet is a strange place.
Me: You’re a politician, stop tweeting like this.
Inner me: You’re too lit to politic. pic.twitter.com/Gizbnu5LKM
— Norm Kelly (@norm) November 23, 2016
Sometimes, erasing the damage done by misreading the blogosphere isn’t as simple as a self-deprecating meme. Digiornio’s pizza faced a massive backlash after issuing a joking Tweet using the #WhyIStayed hashtag, which was being used by victims of domestic violence to share their stories and encourage victims to speak up and get out. Their immediate apology did little to stem the ill-will they’d earned with one ill-advised Tweet.
How to avoid it
It could be that this isn’t a problem for your brand. If so, we assume you’re just here for the schadenfreude of reading all those awkward Tweets up there, and we welcome you.
But if your brand is trying to reach that younger demographic, the key takeaway here is authenticity. People post funny memes on Twitter to enjoy themselves, and it’s very hard to get a positive reaction when you try to shoehorn a message into it.
Instead, just use your social media channels for what they should be: a way to communicate directly with your customers, a way to attract new ones and a way to build a positive brand identity. If you’re going to hop on a trending hashtag, make sure it’s the right one for your brand. If it isn’t, there’ll be a new one along shortly.
Remember that general rule: if you have to try, you’re trying too hard. And as a corollary, it’s probably wise to keep the emojis in check.
If you’re ready to build your social media, but don’t want to end up a #FellowKids meme, give us a call at 904.638.7555, or fill out our contact form.
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