The responsiveness of social media allows brands to more easily tailor their messages to suit the needs of the immediate moment, even while staying true to their images and product lines. As more people are staying home due to the recent pandemic, home improvement brands could emphasize the stress release of home improvement and the need to make homes seem like a refuge and an entertainment playground simultaneously. Engagement, combined with enhancing entertainment on social media, can likewise be fostered by humor.
For example, Wendys is a fast food brand that has always been second to McDonalds in terms of its brand recognition and sales. However, it has cultivated a funny social media profile that has earned the restaurant chain many Twitter followers, as well as increased sales. In one exchange, someone asked Wendys on Twitter how much a Big Mac cost, to which the account (personified by a smiling red-haired little girl) responded, Your dignity (Bikker, 2019). This also enhances the pleasure of the experience with interacting with Wendys on social media and in real life, fostering a close relationship for the consumer with the brand. The brand allows the consumer to learn about new products. The brand is enhanced with more traditional television advertising depicting juicy, delicious burgers and tasty chicken sandwiches but has generated a new demographic of critical younger consumers who like the sassy, funny Wendys online voice.
It should be cautioned, however, that not all brands could use Wendys social media strategy with the same ease. Wendys does not sell a serious product, so cultivating honesty, empathy, and trust is not as necessary, versus, say, health insurance or cars (Bikker, 2019). Its demographic is also very young, and savvy to the ways in which Twitter and online technology often make use of sarcasm and abrasiveness to make a point (Bikker, 2019). A products verbal and visual tone must be consistent, even if it adopts a slightly more informal tone on Twitter, where it may interact with followers on a one-on-one basis.
Still, many companies could learn from Wendys approach in the digital age. Rather than simply promote deals or deliciousness, Wendys has created a persona and ethos for its product far edgier than its primary competitor, McDonalds. Given that consumers online and coveted younger consumers in particular are mistrustful of brands that make use of strategies that obviously appear to be advertising, Wendys approach has proved useful.
In this assignment, select 2 advertisements within the same industry (e.g., YouTube, newspaper, TV, or radio). Write a 5-page analysis of each advertisement for your marketing report based upon the following criteria:
Describe the message conveyed about its brand.
Is it consistent with the brands message throughout all of the media? How?
Did you learn anything new about the brand by looking at the different channels?
How does this view influence your perception of the brand?
How can you improve the brand’s messaging?
What would you change to promote the brand further?
Submitting your assignment in APA format means, at a minimum, you will need the following:
Title page: Remember the running head. The title should be in all capitals.
Length: 5 pages minimum
Abstract: This is a summary of your paper, not an introduction. Begin writing in third person.
Body: This begins on the page following the title page and abstract page and must be double-spaced (be careful not to triple- or quadruple-space between paragraphs). The typeface should be 12-pt. Times Roman or 12-pt. Courier in regular black type. Do not use color, bold type, or italics, except as required for APA-level headings and references. The deliverable length of the body of your paper for this assignment is 5 pages. In-body academic citations to support your decisions and analysis are required. A variety of academic sources is encouraged.
Reference page: References that align with your in-body academic sources are listed on the final page of your paper. The references must be in APA format using appropriate spacing, hanging indent, italics, and uppercase and lowercase usage as appropriate for the type of resource used. Remember, the Reference page is not a bibliography but a further listing of the abbreviated in-body citations used in the paper. Every referenced item must have a corresponding in-body citation.
