In 30 seconds:
- We’ve found some iconic brand clapbacks. We’re taking you through the brands who started this phenomenon and what we can learn from them.
- The way we respond on social media is changing. We’re dishing out the place your brand will get the most engagement.
- How can your brand clapback? We’ve got three rules to live by, plus 6 tips to get your responses on point.
There was a time when brand clap backs didn’t really exist. After all, brands want to be seen as cooperative and understanding of both their customers and the competition. But with social media (especially Twitter) birthing a new way of communication, some companies have found that mastering the art of brand clapbacks can fuel their UGC and brand awareness, plus cultivate a fresh buzz around their offering.
In 2023, the desire for engaging brands on socials is deep. Customers (especially young people) want humour from the companies they follow, so if you can get your audience to lol at your content, you’ll be winning. Now is the time to safely use this sassy power for your own marketing strategy. If you do it right, you’ll see your awareness and ER skyrocket.
So what’s the secret to this cheeky approach? We’re covering how your brand can cash in on clever retorts and the best ways of making it work for you. But first, let’s understand where the sass all started.
The beginnings of brand clapbacks
Twitter was the firestarter. With a new way of communicating with customers, brands flocked to Twitter to answer customer queries and connect with other brands. It became a place where companies had to answer difficult questions and respond to their audience publicly. And that’s where brands seized the opportunity to show their personality.
The few brands that began responding to both competition and customers in entertaining ways paved the way for the current social media landscape. A place where companies have more opportunities than ever to engage, persuade and bring audiences on the side. So who started it all?
5 of the funniest brands on social media (they started it)
These social media accounts were some of the first to show their sass. Take a look at how they clapped back at both brands and users.
1. Wendy’s
Wendy’s has become famous for their sassy tweets, especially in response to other fast food companies. They have a long history with Mcdonald’s, where they’ve roasted the fast food chain for anything that made the news. When Mcdonalds had an issue with their ice cream machines, Wendy’s was quick off the mark to joke about it.
They got so reliable with their sassy tweets that even their own fans were joining in on the conversation by tagging them in pics of their competition to egg them on.
2. Microsoftstore
Microsoftstore worked out how to hold down a conversation and finish it in the most entertaining way possible. Replying to @FierceVI on the subject of team players, the social team at Microsoft may not have been anticipating this response. But with true wit, they replied to the user’s derogatory comment about Xbox with a clean clap back that gave them the last laugh.
3. Old Spice
Funny brand “burns” were working a treat on Twitter. People didn’t expect the brutal honesty from companies, which made their content spike with engagement. Old Spice was another original company that replied to a tag in an unconventional but hilarious way. That burn has got to hurt
4. MoonPie
This tweet from MoonPie simply says it how it is. Admittedly replying to a complaint with such sass is risky but this seemed to pay off. The tweet also has a certain likeability to it. By stating, “you’re talking to a marshmallow”, they’re not just telling the truth but also drumming up a ton of humour. Who could be angry at that?
5. Netflix
How do you tackle cheeky statements? By replying with equal cheek. Netflix clapped back at Conan O’Brien with a simple reply that garnered over 22.7K retweets.
So how should your brand respond now?
The comeback scene is definitely changing. Companies are noticing better results with positive customer service. Answering a complaint increases customer advocacy by as much as 25%, so brands are turning to genuine responses to complaints and getting to know their audience’s gripes and concerns (as well as their likes and desires).
There is definitely still a place for brands to utilise an entertaining and sassy tone of voice. Clever retorts and funny content will always be popular, but only if you adapt to current trends and engage in the right places. So where are those places?
TikTok is the most engaging social media channel, which makes it a hot spot for brand-customer communication. If you want to master the art of a sassy social voice, this is the place to do it.
Our Brand Partnerships Manager, Helen Clow states:
“Being bold and clapping back to other brands has been a popular and successful phenomenon on Twitter for some time, but channels like TikTok now offer an opportunity to get really creative with these battles of the brands.”
With features like TikTok stitch, TikTok duets and a highly active comments section, this app is becoming the go-to place for immediate engagement. Plus, the opportunity to really create a bold statement on the channel is still open.
Helen adds: “You can create content that either takes the mick out or is weird and wonderful enough to persuade users to respond. This is a light-hearted, fun way to bring audiences together to benefit all. No one has nailed this approach yet – I (and TikTok audiences) will look forward to seeing who is brave enough to make the first move.”
What’s more, TikTok is young people’s app of choice, and they happen to demand “fun” from their brands. This makes them an ideal audience for bold statements and fresh comebacks.
Gen Z wants back-talk
We’re not going on a whim here. Our research shows that Gen Z is demanding the full attention of brands. So, that’s exactly what you need to deliver.
Gen Z spends the most time on TikTok and goes to the channel predominantly for comedy and humour. As for their view on brands, they expect companies to be on TikTok. What’s their favourite thing to see from brands? Funny or entertaining content. The most popular choice for the best way for brands to engage with you on TikTok (28%) said it was by ‘making me laugh.’
This makes TikTok the ideal place for brands to adopt a bold tone of voice and focus on the entertainment factor (i.e. clapbacks). That could be through clapbacks, memes or sassy comments.
But don’t start creating provocative content for the hell of it. If your brand wouldn’t say it to someone’s face in real life, it’s probably best to err on the side of caution.Young people want brands to come across authentically, so sticking with your values and being true to your voice is equally as important. Only then can you create brilliantly engaging content that boosts brand awareness but still lives up to the hype.
Find out more about what makes Gen Z tick in our full research report.
The fundamental 3 “Ts” for clapbacks
There are 3 essential parts to a brilliant clapback. Our Brand Partnerships Manager, Sophie Booth, explains:
“For me, the art of the clapback is all about the ‘three T’s’.”
- “Tone of Voice – this will determine how your clapback comes across to your audience. Have you responded at the appropriate level, or has there been a misstep or overreaction on your part?”
- “Timing – A delayed response loses impact – we are all about the timely nonchalant comeback!”
- “Testing of boundaries. This is not always the safest place to position yourself, and it takes a huge amount of thought, care and awareness to get it right. But it does have the power to set your brand apart from others when done in a fun and playful fashion.”
So now you understand these fundamentals, how can you go about dishing out the captivating content?
1. Be safe
The most important aspect of any comeback, clap back, or communication is safety. Before you take a risk with a fun response, you need to know that your brand and community are secure. You shouldn’t interact with all trolls, so ensure you know who the person is before you engage.
Ensure you have the right guidelines in place for all your staff, and consult with any legal teams to allow safe yet sassy engagement.
2. Be a good sport
This goes back to the “Tone of Voice”. Don’t be a sore loser. If another brand catches you out or throws you an insult, it’s time to clap back. It’s essential not to go on the defensive, though. If you come across as negative or oversensitive, your audience will notice and may not get on board. Instead, be a good sport and make content that adds to the insider joke.
Papa John shows us how it’s done. When Digiorno Pizza made fun of Papa John’s slogan in their Twitter bio, Papa John clapped back by doing exactly the same thing. This added a playful quality to the interaction and showed audiences the better side of both these brands.
Another important element is positivity. You can inject your communication with sass whilst still keeping a positive voice. You want your audience to be on your side, and the only way to do that is to keep things light-hearted (whilst still administering burns where necessary). It’s a fine line to tread, but if done right, you’ll have your audience laughing whenever you prove a point.
3. Champion the comments section
On TikTok especially; comments are king. An average of 77% of TikTokers say they read the comments section on videos, and the hashtag #comments has over 10.6 billion views. This means it’s the ideal spot to drum up engagement with both other brands and users. This area holds tremendous potential. Brands that tap into it will see their engagement skyrocket.
TikTokers want brands to communicate with them too. Since TikTok is a place of creation and consumption, users are making content and directly tagging brands to get them involved.
@pdotzclipz Do your thing, tag a brand #funny #foryou #fyp #viral #pdotz #trending ♬ Sure Thing (cover version) - Tik Toker
People are prodding companies on TikTok to comment on their content. This TikToker used a trending song to gain more traction (make sure you unmute to hear it) and urged brands to engage. To boost brand awareness, you need to start responding to videos like this.
Successful brands are finding new ways of engaging with their audience by commenting on users’ videos (like Taco Bell did here). This both creates conversation in the comments section and encourages UGC. Some users go on to create even more content relating to the comment that the brand has already made.
And it’s not just your audience who can use comments to create fresh content. Brands can look to their own comment section to answer questions and interact with discussions by creating new videos.
The best part? Brands are engaging with other brands, too, asking their fellow companies to show up on the app in amusing and entertaining ways.
How can you be quick off the mark?
If you want to react to brand mentions at super speed, listening is essential. Of course, that can be difficult over the deafening hum of social media engagement. Which content should you engage with, and which content do you skip? And what happens when you’re offline?
You need a long-term social listening strategy and a way to hone in on important conversations.
That’s why we created Bytesights.
Our in-house social listening and data insights tool spots trends before they happen, influencers you should be collaborating with and, of course every opportunity for a brand clap back.
We’ve already mentioned that timing is imperative. Since Bytesights also gives us instant data on our client campaigns, we’re in the know 24/7.
4. Engage with influencers (and celebrities)
Influencers have significant reach. But it’s not just their larger audiences that brands can tap into. People follow influencers because they find them more authentic than brands. 37% of consumers trust social media influencers over brands, and young people are two times more likely than Boomers to trust them too.
So how can you collaborate with influencers and celebrities to master the clap back? Firstly, you need to be careful about clapping back at these talents. This is where “testing the boundaries” comes into play.
If you keep your voice playful and relevant, you can react to celeb posts in funny and engaging ways (like Merriam-Webster’s reply to Neil deGrasse Tyson). But remember that nailing the tone can make or break these kinds of interactions, and you don’t want backlash from a committed influencer fanbase.
Another way of mastering clap backs is by getting influencers on your side.
@xocheergurlox Thanks to @SonyElectronics and my #SonyZV I can touch grass and clapback at the same time #ad #gifted #nyc #nyxl #gamer #gamergirl #egirl #brooklyn #streamer #twitchstreamer #twitchpartner #irl ♬ original sound - cheer
Take a look at this video from @xocheergurlox on TikTok. Sony partnered up with her to actively encourage a clapback. She lives in New York and responded perfectly to a hateful comment about her “taxes” relating it to the Sony products she uses. This is a great example of how influencers and brands can clapback together.
Creators have already mastered the art of clap backs (since they have to deal with daily comments and “haters”), so working with the right talent can not only skyrocket your reach but also equip you with the perfect tools to tackle any backlash. Most influencers know how to respond with fresh, authentic content, so if you’re working with them, you’re already at an advantage.
Keeping it cool
Administering burns can be fun, but to engage your audience, you need to keep it cool and stay true to your brand. That means collaborating with ideal influencers who align with your values, sticking to your own tone of voice and making sure you’re part of the right discussions.
It’s definitely a risky line to tread, but if you do it right, your engagement and brand awareness can surge. Not sure how to make that happen? We can help you master the art of clapbacks through TikTok and beyond. Our creative team are full of innovative concepts, and Bytesights keeps us up-to-date on the latest and greatest trends. So get in touch to find out how we can help master these comebacks properly.
Need some more insights? Check out these golden nuggets below.
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