Thursday, February 4, 2016

Funny Tweets & Social Media Examples From 17 Real Brands


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There are quite a few factors that go into what makes a brand "followable" in social media. Think about it from the follower's perspective: Why do you choose to 'Like' or follow certain brands on social networks like Facebook and Twitter?
It could be because they share valuable, educational content that appeals to your interests and needs. Or, it could be that they give you access to exclusive deals, coupons, or other promotions. Or, maybe they're just ridiculously funny.
Truthfully, the best brands to follow in social media should probably have a combination of all those characteristics. But I'd venture to say that many of you are following a brand simply for its entertainment value. (I know I am.) You know -- the brands that really tickle your funny bone and sometimes even make your sides hurt from laughter. 
And while it may not seem like a funny update has any value, surely there's value in showing off your personality and being a lovable brand, right?
So to help bring out your inner comedian, we've compiled a list of brands whose social media presence gives us the giggles. Check 'em out. 

Click here to download even more examples of brands doing awesome social media marketing. 

The Funniest Tweets & Social Media Examples From Funny Brands

1) Charmin

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

You mean the toilet paper company? Darn tootin'! Serving as the original inspiration for this post, Charmin's Twitter presence is definitely a must-follow. Just check out the following series of tweets to see what we mean. Charmin is a great example of a brand whose humor aligns with the products it sells. And don't you just love that #tweetfromtheseat hashtag?
  

2) Taco Bell

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Taco Bell is known for using humor throughout their marketing and advertising, and their social media accounts are no different. From witty one-liners to clever photo updates, Taco Bell's Facebook and Twitter presence is sure to make you crack a smile -- even when they just tweet a whole bunch of taco emojis and call it a day.
  

3) Innocent Drinks

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Innocent Drinks is one of my favorite brands to follow on Twitter and Facebook. They may be a smoothie and juice brand, but most of their social media posts aren't about smoothies or drinks at all. Check out the examples below to see what I mean. We've always admired them for their consistently lovable branding. They're silly, fun, clever, creative, and always stay true to their brand personality.
  
  
"Beavers?" If you're wondering what that's about, then you aren't alone. Here's an explanation -- which goes to show how clever their social strategy really is:

4) Old Spice

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Old Spice is known for their funny -- and often ridiculous -- marketing content. And what better place to let their freak flag fly than on social media? Just take a look at their "About" descriptions on Twitter, as well as a few of the silly posts to Twitter and Facebook below. (My favorite might be their making fun of Twitter polls.)
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5) JetBlue Airways

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Exceptional customer service isn't the only thing JetBlue does well on social media. They're also a great example of a brand that sprinkles in just a little humor throughout its social presence. Not everything JetBlue posts is necessarily laugh-out-loud funny, but the brand does a great job of infusing some of its humorous personality into its updates, balancing informational content with lighthearted updates like the Facebook post you see below.
They're even known for being humorous in their replies to customers' tweets, when appropriate. Here's an example:
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6) Mars Curiosity (NASA)

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

As in, the lunar rover. These NASA-run social media accounts feature sassy, first-person updates from the rover itself, who incorporates funny pop culture references and a bold attitude. And, oh yeah -- its Twitter account has more than 2.2 million followers, and its Facebook page has over 1.1 million fans. Not too shabby, NASA. 

7) DiGiorno Pizza

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Remember that time in 2013 when DiGiorno Pizza live-tweeted NBC's The Sound of Music andbroke the internet? Here, let me jog your memory:
So. Random. DiGiorno Pizza is one of the funniest (and downright strangest) brands to follow on Twitter. Their tweets are usually about completely random topics, which somehow tie back to pizza, cheese, delivery pizza, and so on. While their Facebook page is a whole lot tamer, there's also some good stuff in there. Their posts will have you thinking "...what?!" but laughing your butt off nonetheless.

8) A24

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

A24, the film studio that brought you Spring Breakers and The Bling Ring, has a refreshingly witty, edgy voice on its Twitter and Facebook pages that kind of sounds like your funniest friend posting his or her unfiltered musings. In fact, Zoe Beyer, the woman behind the Twitter accountadmitted she sometimes tweets things "with no regard for whether it’s relevant to anyone besides myself." She says, "This is probably bad practice, but I think the film industry in particular can be so opaque, it is nice to know there are actual human personalities behind these companies. That’s why, sometimes, I will tweet about exotic pets or the NBA. The idea is just to keep it authentic."
Their posts are a smattering of pop culture references and project promotions, which they manage to make really funny. Be warned, though: some of the language is NSFW.
  

9) Wendy's

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

The key to social media success for the folks at Wendy's? Simple, hilarious, and kind of ... mindless content. Forbes describes their content best, I think: "Unbelievably dumb stuff that’s blow-milk-out-your-nose funny." Whether they create a graphic depicting plain fries dreaming about loaded fries or they're newsjacking #KissAGingerDay, Wendy's has tweets and Facebook posts that'll put a smile on your face.
 
 

10) Moosejaw Mountaineering

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

The folks at Moosejaw Mountaineering call themselves "the most fun outdoor retailer on the planet," according to their Twitter description -- and they aren't lying. Their social media content is basically all funny stuff. Some is related to the outdoors, some isn't. Like A24, some of their Facebook posts sound like your best friend telling you an unfiltered story, like the MC Hammer example below.
  
  

11) Zendesk

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

It can be hard for B2B companies to find the balance between humor and professionalism on social media. But Zendesk is one of the B2B brands that's really nailed it. The folks on their social team use humor to elevate their message, make their posts stand out from the crowd, and infuse some lighthearted fun into an otherwise (*furrows brow*) pretty serious B2B world.
 

12) Whole Foods

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Would you "Holla for Challah bread"? Whole Foods wants you to, and that's just one of its witty little Facebook updates. Mainly sharing recipe and food ideas through its Facebook page and Twitter feed, Whole Foods adds a dash of humor that makes it a lot more fun to follow than your average recipe source. We love their cheeky #HealthYeah hashtag, too.

13) Netflix

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Whether they're poking fun at the characters in their TV shows or quoting one of their comedies, Netflix is always posting a myriad of funny social media posts to their Twitter and Facebook Pages. Most of them include short clips or GIFs of their shows, which serve as great visual reminders that we need to get watchin'.

14) IMPACT Branding & Design

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Another B2B company to grace our list, HubSpot partner IMPACT Branding & Design definitely gets the value of comedy, offering a great balance of educational content and a few laughs every now and then on its Facebook page. While not every post from IMPACT is exactly a knee-slapper, it's a good reminder that a little humor can go a long way toward achieving likability.
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15) Bissell

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Bissell, the vacuum cleaner company (who would've thought?), knows how to crack a joke from time to time on their Facebook and Twitter pages. What's great about Bissell's humor is that it never sacrifices brand relevancy, as is evident by these smartly funny posts.
 

16) Skittles

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Skittles' social sense of humor is apparently all about being silly and ridiculous. But it definitely brings a smile to your face, doesn't it? Check out the examples below from Skittles' Facebook page and Twitter feed. They do a great job of using custom graphics to stand out in your feed.
 

17) KRAFT Mac & Cheese

See them on: Twitter | Facebook

Who knew elbow macaroni could be so funny? KRAFT Mac & Cheese's social media presence features noodle families, pokes fun at themselves for being such a casual and easy meal, and other mac 'n cheese humor. Oh, and we're really, really glad this packaging idea was a joke.
 
What other brands can't you help from following in social media, even for just a good laugh? Share with us in the comments.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

How And Why 13-24 Year-Olds Use Instagram



asian teen on bed checking smartphone while reading book and eating soup; Shutterstock ID 227874997; PO: today.com

Instagram plays a significant role in the lives of Millennials and Gen-Z. As they learn about the world, discover their passions, connect with friends, and find more communities to tap into, they consistently rely on visual language and storytelling.
 19 days until 20,000+ global leaders come together for SMW February 22-26. Learn more here.

Visual content dominates our screens today. In a post on Facebook’s IQ blog, Aria, a 22-year-old from Canada says, “People don’t really want to read through text all the time … they just want to see it visually. It’s more appealing.”
Visual content allows people to express themselves in any language. Everyone in the world is fluent in photos and videos, and it allows digitally connected individuals to connect and come together.
Facebook explored the role of visual language in the lives of 13–24-year-olds in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US, and tried to understand what it means to grow up in a world of constant connectivity.

Instagram inspires the journey

Instagram plays a major role in young adults’ lives. It serves as a place where teens and adults go to discover what’s new, what’s next, what their friends are doing, and because Instagram captures the immediacy of the moment, photos and videos in their feeds provide an instant connection to that individual or community.
53% of Instagrammers in the study say the platform helps them define who they are. Discovering new interests, following role models, and digging deeper into communities is simple in Instagram, and 13 to 24-year-olds are among the most active users doing all three.

Photo-Journaling Their Lives

According to Facebook, “63% of Instagrammers in our study say they use Instagram to document their lives. Many document regularly, with 72%posting photos on the platform monthly. And they do it creatively, curating moments and artistically filtering their images to display life at its best. As Mohamed, a 19-year-old in Germany, says, Instagram is where “you have these effects available … where you share your coolest pictures.”
56% of Instagrammers in our study said that the platform makes them feel more connected to the people they know, and 52% agreed that it gives them a sense of community, which can be important for those on the path of self-discovery.

When Do Teens and Young Adults Use Instagram?

It’s very possible that 13 to 24-year olds fall asleep thinking about (or even thumbing through) Instagram. 39% of this age group uses Instagram right before going to sleep, and 33% wake up accessing the platform to see what they missed while they were (literally) disconnected.

There Is Definitely Hope for Brands on Instagram

68% of Instagrammers ages 13–24 say they interact with brands regularly, whether it’s by looking at photos, liking content, following accounts, or visiting a website after discovering the respective content. This means teens and young adults are open to new forms and participants in storytelling on Instagram, especially accounts that are authentic, visually stunning, and not self-promotional.
Facebook recommends brands try to engage teens and young adults by offering an organic experience that puts a heavy emphasis on quality and design. Images and videos will should be beautiful, thoughtful, and artfully presented.
Many of the 13-24 year old respondents identify Instagram with real-time updates, entertainment, and information, and brands that want to engage young adults with this desire to know more in the moment can find success with content such as behind the scenes photos, exclusive looks at products or events, or creating a sequential story in bite-sized chapters.

#SocialSkim: Twitter's Darkest Days, Facebook's New Like Buttons, Plus More Stories in This Week's Roundup

This week is filled with drama and big changes at the biggest social networks. Get the scoop on Twitter's half-billion-dollar executive exodus, and find out all about Facebook's Like button alternatives and when to expect them.
We'll also dig into the benefits of Facebook's newly expanded ad network, and share how to figure out what kind of content you should create. Skim to stay social-savvy!
Twitter loses four senior execs... to the tune of a half-billion dollars
The heads of engineering, media, product, and Vine are officially out at Twitter, and Wall Street took notice. The company's market value plummeted $560 million following the news, even as CEO Jack Dorsey said the execs chose to leave the company.
Whether the social network's disappointing performance in investors' eyes sparked the change, at least one source cites the departures as a part of a long-planned restructuring since Dorsey jumped back into the CEO seat last October.

One thing is for certain: Shakeups at Twitter are nothing new, and only 5 of 13 executives who presented at its conference in November 2014 remain today. How's that for job security?

1. Facebook's new Like button alternatives are coming in next few weeks
After making headlines the world over last year regarding the creation of an alternative to the Like button on Facebook, Zuckerberg and crew are ready to launch. The company announced the final six emotions—angry, sad, wow, haha, like, and love—that will comprise "Reactions," the new name given to the options.
The hope is the addition will not only let users express themselves more accurately but also help Facebook gather a range of new metrics to improve the News Feed algorithm and better serve ads.
Reactions will begin to roll out to US users in the next few weeks. Finally!
2. Facebook's ad network now lets you target people off the site
The 2.5 million advertisers using Facebook's Audience Network have a new reason to celebrate: their ads are no longer limited to third-party mobile applications and can now take advantage of the 2.5 times more reach generated by mobile websites.
The unknown for brands? They could be placing ads blindly: Much like its third-party app ad serving, Facebook has refused to publish a list of mobile websites where the ads could be shown.
3. Twitter introduces longer, skippable pre-roll ads
That's a significant increase from the six-second standard it adopted for its video-only platform, Vine. The move is a win-win: for users, because they can skip the ads after six seconds; and for marketers, because creative messaging is no longer limited to six seconds. Lots of long-form ch-ch-ch-changes over at Twitter!
4. Facebook Insights become even more useful, now tracks call-to-action clicks
The 'book recently made quite a push, asking page owners to make use of its call-to-action buttons. Now, it's providing a new tab on Facebook Insights to show businesses just how helpful those buttons are in making an impact—driving traffic back to your website, calling attention to a whitepaper, or simply asking visitors to join an email list.

5. Spotify recognizes hunger for video, launches mobile video product
Nearly a year after announcing its original plans, the music streaming social network launched its mobile video product in the US, the UK, Germany, and Sweden, with content from BBC, Maker Studios, Comedy Central, ESPN, and more.
A year of testing allowed the company to see what works with users, many of whom will have to be trained to think of the platform as a source for video. Most content will be short clips, but other publishers, such as Tastemade, are developing original, music-themed series directly for Spotify.
The feature, found under the "browse" tap, launched on iOS and Android devices this week.
6. Snapchat's rumored new chat interface looks a lot like Facebook Messenger
Leaked photos suggest the company might bring a major facelift to the app's chat interface, providing easier navigation buttons for existing (but hard to find) features such as sending photos and starting a video chat, as well as incorporating new capabilities such as voice calls and stickers.
The interface was discovered by developers behind Snapprefs. What they uncovered may not be final, nor make it to market, but they've likely stumbled upon features Snapchat plans to introduce in at least some capacity.
7. Vine celebrates its third birthday, launches Trends Page
Vine is a where trends often start; so, to celebrate its third birthday, the video platform launched its Trends Page, which lets users explore popular trends and see how they got their start. (Warning: we spent half an hour glued to our screens for "research purposes.")
8. Periscope welcomes action-packed live streaming with GoPro integration
Periscope streams just got a whole lot more interesting. Adrenaline-seeking, iPhone-yielding GoPro users can now stream directly on Periscope from their GoPro HERO4 Black or Silver. The video streaming app will now recognize a connected GoPro device and give the option to broadcast from it rather than the iPhone.
There are no immediate plans to extend the capability to Android, but the incorporation opens doors to more than just extreme sports addicts—perhaps paving the way to more interesting and engaging behind-the-scenes and real-time video streams for your business.
9. 3-D Touch capabilities come to Facebook for iPhone, slowly
The latest update of Facebook's flagship app allows some iPhone 6 and 6s users to access quick action menus from the app's News Feed—enabling easy preview of content when pressing lightly on Timelines, links, pages, groups, and photos—while increasing pressure will open the links. The rollout began last week and will expand in the coming months.
10. Snapchat gets in the game with Super Bowl ads
The "low seven figures." That's the amount big brands Marriott, Budweiser, Pepsi, and Amazon are paying for their piece of Snapchat's sold-out Super Bowl ad inventory.
The video ads will run alongside the platform's Super Bowl Live Story, and the revenue will be split between the messaging app and the National Football League. The news comes one year after Snapchat asked $1.77 million for a single brand to sponsor 2015's Super Bowl, a Live Story that never ended up being told.
11. Viacom and the future of measuring social media sentiment
Measuring consumer sentiment toward ads and content on social media is no easy task, and it's even harder to do in a quantitative way. After much testing, media giant Viacom thinks it's found its buzz-monitoring tool in Canvs, a tech startup that categorizes social media chatter into 56 emotional categories while taking into account slang, deliberate misspellings, and words with double meanings. Hello "on fleek" and "bae".
As the methodology of measuring social sentiment continue to evolve, even Canvs' CEO acknowledges the need for human involvement in the analysis process at some point. Canvs' tool, which it claims can find "love" expressed in 30,000 different ways on social media, can help in the meantime.
12. Five awesome direct messages, and why you should use them more often
If you're not using direct messages on Twitter for interaction with your customers, for maintaining relationships, or for customer service, you're not using it to your advantage.
From personalized support and event planning, to checking in with your VIPs, here are five great types of value-adding, brand-building DMs that don't come off as spammy.
13. What types of content play to your strengths? Find out with this infographic
Companies are fleshing out their content marketing strategies like never before, with 76% of B2Bs and 77% of B2Cs creating more content this year than last. They publish an average of a dozen types of content for their audiences, a surprisingly high number that might have you wondering why you stick with the same 4-5.
Don't worry, we've got an infographic to quell your fears. Click to discover the top tactics!
14. We'll wrap with the igloo that took social media by (snow) storm
When life gives you snow, what else to do other than build an igloo and list it on Airbnb? That's what a Brooklyn-based art director did during this week's historic blizzard, generating social media buzz and news coverage across the globe.
The listing was subsequently taken down by the company, citing the building's failure to meet occupancy standards, but not before the Airbnb team responded in a way that entertained social media users, humanized the brand, and... went viral.