Showing your character
- benjones424
- Mar 22, 2021
- 3 min read
How Twitter brand personalities can benefit organizations
By Ben Jones
As a member of Gen Z, social media is second nature to me. Checking Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat is an hourly routine. The social media platform that is top of mind for me is Twitter, especially when it comes to public relations. However, this is not the case for everyone. According to a Twitter poll run by PR Weekly, only 14% of respondents believed that a Twitter account is necessary for all brands. Although it may seem unnecessary to these professionals, this social media platform provides a unique opportunity to connect directly with consumers. The main appeal of Twitter for public relations should be building and solidifying a brand personality, as this has several benefits for an organization.
Attracting an audience
A brand personality is an excellent way to attract a desired audience. While Twitter can be used to address customer complaints and react to crises, a proactive strategy that builds a strong brand personality can attract followers and earn media. One example of this is Denny’s Twitter account. This account regularly posts quirky content such as a playful take on a popular band’s name or the size of an emperor penguin in pancakes. This content, while not necessarily promotional, is entertaining and causes people to follow the account for the humorous content it posts. Denny’s Twitter has also received coverage in food websites such as Delish and even Forbes, which dubbed it “The King of Twitter.” Denny’s shows that a strong brand personality on Twitter can build interest in an organization.
Building engagement
Creating a strong brand personality can help to build engagement between the brand and its followers. The best example of this is Wendy’s Twitter account, which is known for its witty and playful content. With 3.7 million followers, this account has more followers than Burger King and is head-to-head with McDonald’s, and it’s not hard to see why. Along with the usual responses to customer concerns, Wendy’s responds to Tweets that others may be afraid to. This includes Tweets about recent games, current trends and popular memes. The organization even went so far as to roast those who asked for it on National Roast Day. Wendy’s spent time building this brand personality so that Twitter users would feel comfortable interacting with the brand account outside of just complaining. Not only does this help increase the reach of their promotional content, but it also builds a positive connection with the brand for those who see the account’s content.
When it goes wrong
However, a sassy brand personality does not allow public relations practitioners to make any joke they want. If they do not consider the implications of their Tweets, they can cause more harm than good for the organization. One example of when a brand personality backfires comes from a recent tweet made by Burger King. On March 8, Burger King UK’s Twitter account tweeted “Women belong in the kitchen.” This Tweet was, as expected, not well received. Although the tweet was meant to attract attention to Burger King’s new scholarship program for female chefs, people focused on the outrageous content of the tweet rather than the reply that clarified the meaning. This is a case where a brand made a joke that was completely inappropriate for their brand and in general. While making jokes can definitely attract followers, it must be noted that humor is a tricky beast and sarcasm and tone are not easily translated on Twitter. People quickly responded negatively and, while the organization originally defended its actions, it eventually deleted the tweet and issued an apology. However, once something is on the internet, it can’t truly be deleted, and news outlets from the Washington Post to Fox News covered the event. This case shows that, while having a brand personality is important, public relations practitioners must practice environmental scanning and understand when a joke goes too far.
These cases show that a strong brand personality on Twitter is not just a silly little side project. If carefully crafted, a brand personality can distinguish the brand from its competitors and provide many benefits. Twitter is a valuable way to build this brand personality and reach out to a younger audience, which makes it more important than people realize.
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About the author:
Ben Jones is an aspiring public relations practitioner located in Denton, Texas. He is currently a senior studying journalism with a focus in public relations at the University of North Texas. He will graduate in the Spring of 2021.
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