What should you, the manager of a brand’s social media account, do when a globally beloved figure dies? If you’re smart, you do precisely zero unless your company already had a longstanding and organic connection to the deceased. But if you’re like too many companies over the past day and a bit, you post a tribute so pointless or outlandish that you’re swiftly ratioed into oblivion.
While many of the brand posts we saw yesterday were likely created with good intentions – social media managers are sad about Queen Elizabeth’s death too, after all – for others the outrage was probably the point. Yes, they’ve been ridiculed across the internet and found themselves starring in round-ups like this one. But they successfully rode the trending topics gravy train all the way to engagement nirvana, and isn’t that the whole point of social media marketing?
Much to consider. In the meantime, please “enjoy” a few brands’ online tributes the Queen. Let’s start with an utterly unhinged Instagram post from Crossfit UK, now deleted.
‘1 minute rest in silence’ i am finished pic.twitter.com/eNPI5CHyml
— michael ✨ (@mjrgrs) September 9, 2022
Rest in Peace 🖤 Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022 pic.twitter.com/eou217S8SZ
— PLAYMOBIL (@playmobil) September 8, 2022
— Domino's Pizza UK (@Dominos_UK) September 8, 2022
— Heinz (@HeinzUK) September 8, 2022
R.I.P. The Queen 🕯️
— Crazy Frog (@TrueCrazyFrog) September 8, 2022
— Poundland (@Poundland) September 8, 2022
clutchpoints deleted this but i'm not sure why?? pic.twitter.com/ngs5duzVTc
— Ryan (@rysimmons) September 8, 2022