We've looked at some of the biggest social media wins and losses from the UK in the last few years - did you spot any of these campaigns? Read the blog to see more!
Lauren Nuttall
Published: 10 Mar 2021
5 minutes read
Another year goes past and there are more social media faux-pas that we can only look at open-mouthed and think, how was that approved?
However, amongst the worst campaigns, a select few rose above and really impressed us. So, here’s what we thought were the best and worst social media campaigns from the UK in the last few years - and we’ve even included some handy tips to help you execute (or avoid) similar tactics in your own social media strategies.
The Best:
1. Greggs - Keep em’ talking
Our first (and best) social media campaign this year is undoubtedly from UK pastry giant Greggs’ and the promotion of their new and now well-loved products, the vegan sausage roll. The bakery propelled into headlines in early “Veganuary” following the release of its new product - with both positive and negative reactions. However, it was the way in which Greggs executed product promotion that we admire so much, with industry magazine PR week calling it "a master class in public relations".
The humour that Greggs delivered throughout the campaign is arguably what gained it so much attention. Its YouTube ad, which parodied the tone of Apple’s famous iPhone ads, gained over 5 million views across social media and generated a public discussion like no other.
Oh hello Piers, we've been expecting you
— Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) January 2, 2019
What can we learn from this?
Crucially, what Greggs’ campaign shows us is that gaining “talkability” is essential. You could have the most amazing product, but if no one is talking about it - what’s the point?
For B2B organisations, getting your prospects excited about your products or services is key. Although you may not have the budget as such a large company, what you can do is start small. Try publishing content on social media platforms such as LinkedIn, where you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry and get people talking about your business.
2. ALDI - COLIN THE CATERPILLAR CAKE COURT TRIAL
In April 2021, Marks and Spencer's launched legal action against Aldi over the likeness of Marks' Colin the Caterpillar cake to Aldi's Cuthbert the Caterpillar cake. And how did the Aldi social media team make the best out of a bad situation? With jokes. And lots of them.
On the day of the trial, Aldi's social media team hit the headlines, as they spent the day making jokes about the court case, as well as other colin lookalikes in supermarkets. Their Twitter account became the start of the show of the legal action, gaining attention from both the media and the public,
What can we learn from this?
Similarly to Greggs, regardless of why your business is getting attention, it's always good to approach a situation with good humour rather than being standoffish.
Good B2B social media content should always show your prospects that, where appropriate, your brand is self-aware, If there was a bigger scandal, their team wouldn't have reacted with such light-hearted content. But, as the public could see how ridiculous this court case was, their jokes had gained attention from people across the UK.
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3. Hafod Hardware - Inspiring on a budget
As far as Christmas adverts go, one of the highlights of this year was undoubtedly Hafod Hardware’s £100 advert that rivalled other big-budget ads such as John Lewis. The independent family-run hardware store based in Wales stole the hearts of people across the UK when their ad “Be a kid this Christmas” went viral on YouTube. The advert is being hailed as a celebration of traditional Christmas spirit and the importance of community; and while they do borrow typical storyline tropes from companies like John Lewis, ultimately it's about execution - and Hafod Hardware did it well.
What can we learn from this?
To produce a good social media campaign, you don’t need a huge budget. While it's great if you do, companies can achieve much more from an authentic, thoughtful and relatable campaign. To do this, think about your buyer personas, and what content will resonate with them the most - be thought-provoking and engaging. Regardless of the industry you’re in, once you know your customers you’ll be able to sell your product or service to them much more effectively.
The Worst:
1. Burger King UK - INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day Tweet
The 8th of March marks International Women’s Day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women across the globe. It has become a global phenomenon that aims to raise awareness and help forge a gender-equal world. It is safe to say the Burger King’s tweet caused quite a spectacle and was described as a misogynistic and outdated remark towards women’s role in society.
However, Burger King UK’s social media team shortly followed the tweet with an explanation that their aim was to draw attention to the fact that only 20% of professional chefs in the UK are women and that they are under-represented in the culinary industry. They have decided to use International Women’s Day as an opportunity to advertise their culinary scholarship which offers financial assistance to women who work at Burger King and aspire to an academic degree in culinary arts. The original “controversial” tweet has been deleted and Burger King has issued an apology.
What can we learn from this?
Know and understand the boundary between getting people talking and controversial topics. Burger King has been known for its brave campaigns in the past - who can forget “Like a Big Mac But Juicier” campaign in Sweden? However, even an established brand that isn’t afraid of crossing the boundaries must weigh out the risks and benefits of their actions in order not to be damaging to their brand.
2. Missguided - Fast fashion fiasco
Throughout 2019, sustainability has been a huge talking point, with research showing that 80% of Millennials across Australia, Canada, China, India, the UK and the US find it important for companies to behave ethically and take steps to diminish their environmental impact.
So, when the UK-based fast-fashion company Missguided announced the launch of a £1 bikini on Instagram in one of the most tone-deaf adverts of the year, people were understandably outraged. Despite the bikini selling out, this particular social media campaign makes it onto our list because of how ultimately misguided it was; so much so that it made us sigh “really?”
Omg PLEASE DO NOT buy the Missguided £1 bikini. I give zero shits about the fact that the brand can’t be making any profit on it, but I do give a shit that by selling it for £1, that’s the value they’re slapping on that item. That item made by garment workers. Their labourers.
— Amyleigh ☕️ (@AmyleighCraigg) June 15, 2019
What can we learn from this?
No matter what industry you’re in, you will benefit from listening to what it is your customers actually want from you, and paying attention to the conversations they’re having. Although Missguided’s product did sell out, there is such a thing as bad publicity, and you don’t want to harm your brand by going against your customers.
3. Adidas UK - The dark side of automation
New home. Same old.
— adidas UK (@adidasUK) November 17, 2019
North London is Red. pic.twitter.com/Xebuwe5tc6
Sportswear company Adidas' UK social media team learned the hard way this year that automation doesn’t always positively impact business when they launched a Twitter campaign to promote a new partnership with Arsenal football club. The campaign itself wasn’t a bad idea: the Adidas Twitter account would encourage its followers to tweet with the hashtag #DareToCreate and in doing so, send an automated response featuring an image of users’ handles printed on the back of an Arsenal shirt.
However, while good in theory, in practice the automatic reply function left itself vulnerable to abuse by Twitter trolls, who soon began submitting extremely offensive handles. Although this wasn’t the fault of Adidas directly, it makes our list because of clear oversight on their part - as much as hashtag campaigns are a good idea, businesses need to be aware of the dangerous rhetoric and activity they can sometimes invite.
What can we learn from this?
Automation can be great; it can save businesses a lot of time and offer a new experience to its customers (which is true, many users engaged with the Adidas hashtag and enjoyed it). However, social media is often a dangerous place, and well-meaning functions can often be abused and escalate out of control very quickly. Therefore, to avoid repeating Adidas’ mistake, ensure that automation is only used where it is absolutely necessary:
Where you use automation in technology such as auto-reply, or chatbots, make sure you are constantly monitoring them. The technology is still fairly new and will require a watchful eye to ensure it is working the way you intended and not being abused by users.
Social media is a minefield - when you use it correctly, you’ll undoubtedly gain positive results; but when you miss the mark, it can be detrimental for your business. Luckily, we’ve created a free, downloadable social media audit list to help you evaluate your existing content and current performance to see how you can improve. Who knows, you could be one of our best by this time next year!
Editor's note: this post was originally created in 2020 and updated in 2021.
FAQs
What is the best social media marketing campaign? ›
1. Twitter's If You Can Dream It, Tweet It Campaign. Social media mainstay Twitter took to an omnichannel format with its If You Can Dream It, Tweet It campaign. They featured inspirational billboards of celebrities and Twitter users who shared their career and life goals on the platform, then made them come true.
What is a successful social media campaign? ›A good social media campaign not only consists of intelligent and compelling content but also requires a strong marketing strategy, effective communication, and the right mix of content and marketing tactics.
What will the biggest social media trends be in 2022? ›The biggest anticipated changes are the rise of TikTok and short-form video content. While Instagram and Twitter will continue to be important (especially to B2B businesses), 2022 might just be the year for smaller networks like Pinterest and Snapchat. Oh, and social commerce is a must for eCommerce businesses.
Why social media campaign is important? ›A social media campaign is a business's coordinated marketing effort to reinforce information (about a brand, product, or service) using at least one social media platform. These campaigns are strategically focused, have measurable outcomes, and influence social media followers to feel or act in a certain way.
What is an example of a campaign? ›Coke started its Share a Coke campaign by replacing its brand name on the bottle of Coke with 150 popular names and adding the “Share a Coke” tagline. Because of its low price point, it was easy to encourage customers to buy a bottle for themselves and one for their friends or loved ones.
What is the most successful campaign? ›- Nike: "Just Do It" Campaign. ...
- Pepsi: The "Is Pepsi OK?" Campaign. ...
- 3. California Milk Processor Board: "Got Milk?" Campaign. ...
- Dove: "Real Beauty" Campaign. ...
- Old Spice: "The Man Your Man Can Smell Like" Campaign. ...
- Coca-Cola: "Share a Coke" Campaign. ...
- Snickers: “You're not you when you're hungry.” ...
- GoPro: “Awards” Campaign.
In summary, studies that evaluated the impact of media campaigns with no increases in enforcement activities or with statistical models to account for those increases showed that the campaign resulted in a median decrease in the outcome measures by 15.1 % (range 0–28.8 %).
Are there more positive than negative effects of social media? ›There are many positive aspects of social media, but there's also a darker side to the endless scroll that keeps coming back for more. Social media can often harm one's mental health. It can cause depression and anxiety and can lower self-esteem.
What factors make a social media campaign successful? ›- 1) Goal setting. This is the first and foremost step in creating a social media strategy for your company or business. ...
- 2) Audience Awareness. ...
- 3) Social Media Audits. ...
- 4) CONTENT.
What Are the 6 Types of Social Media? The six types of social media, though this can be broken down in many ways, include social networking, bookmarking, social news, media sharing, microblogging, and online forum sites.
What are campaign ideas? ›
What Are Marketing Campaign Ideas? A marketing campaign is a multi-channel promotion centered around a theme, event, or specific content. Marketing campaign ideas are the published content, or events, that bring your message to your audience.
What are the four components of a campaign? ›- A Carefully Developed Plan. ...
- Clearly Defined Goals. ...
- Cross-Channel Promotion. ...
- Thorough Analysis.
- #ThisGirlCan. Funded by the national lottery, 'This Girl Can' began in 2015 and aims to get women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability. ...
- Every Mind Matters. ...
- #BlackLivesMatter. ...
- #HeForShe. ...
- Think Before You Pink. ...
- #SchoolStrike For the Climate. ...
- Disrupting The Feed. ...
- #StopFundingHate.
While a campaign may last several months, a specific message should change more often. Changing creative every 45-60 days is ideal. Research shows that 45 days is about how long it takes a consumer to retain and recall information.
How social media trends affects our society? ›Social Media is relatively a newer technology, hence, it is a little difficult to establish its long-term good and bad consequences. However, multiple researchers have concluded a strong relationship between heavy use of social media platforms with an increase in risk of depression, self-harm, anxiety, and loneliness.
What is the fastest growing social media platform? ›This begs the question: What are the fastest-growing social media platforms? The latest data shows that the fastest-growing social network is TikTok.
What is the hottest social media right now? ›- 1. Facebook.
- Instagram.
- Twitter.
- LinkedIn.
- Snapchat.
- Tumblr.
- Pinterest.
- Sina Weibo.
Social media advertising is effective because it influences purchase decision on social media platforms. On average, 28% of people who use the internet found new products after viewing social media ads.
How effective is social media marketing? ›One of the reasons social media marketing is so effective is the fact that digital consumers spend 2.5+ hours on social platforms daily. That means, for nearly three hours a day, you have a chance to reach your target customers with your products and services.
What are the 3 types of campaign? ›Campaigns come in all shapes and sizes, and there are many different types of campaigns. They usually fall into three different categories - channel-specific, tactic-led and by objective.
What makes an effective campaign? ›
What Makes A Successful Campaign? To craft a successful message, a campaign should start by undertaking research and assessing public opinion on the issue. This can be done through: polling, focus groups and researching communities on social media and blogs (social listening).
How do you make a successful campaign? ›- Clearly define your target audience.
- Establish your goals.
- Define your budget.
- Create targeted content.
- Engage with your audience.
- Offer something valuable.
- Up your chances of going viral.
- Distribute and promote your campaign.
- Set Campaign Goals.
- Assess Your Capabilities.
- Identify Your Spectrum of Allies.
- Choose Tour Targets.
- Decide on Your Strategy.
- Choose Your Tactics.
- Develop Your Campaign Message.
- Plan Your Event.
Not Enough Information About The Target Audience
If you do not know what your audience wants to see, read, or hear, you are bound to spend more money than what you are going to make. By going the extra mile and learning as much about your audience as possible, you can effectively tweak your campaign.
Definition: A social media campaign is a coordinated marketing effort to reinforce or assist with a business goal using one or more social media platforms. Campaigns differ from everyday social media efforts because of their increased focus, targeting and measurability.
What is social marketing campaign? ›Social marketing is marketing designed to create social change, not to directly benefit a brand. Using traditional marketing techniques, it raises awareness of a given problem or cause, and aims to convince an audience to change their behaviors.
How do you plan a social media marketing campaign? ›- Step 1: Define Your Social Media Campaign Goals. ...
- Step 2: Identify the Social Media Channels You'll Use. ...
- Step 3: Plan Your Social Media Campaign Strategies. ...
- Step 4: Choose the Metrics You Want To Monitor. ...
- Step 5: Create a Social Media Content Calendar. ...
- Step 6: Design Your Marketing Assets Using Free Online Tools.
Social media platforms allow users to spend time with more relevant content than traditional advertisements; Making social ads more valuable because they are more likely to be seen by the people that matter most for a product or service. Social Media ads are being seen as one of the most effective tools in advertising.
What is an example of a campaign? ›Coke started its Share a Coke campaign by replacing its brand name on the bottle of Coke with 150 popular names and adding the “Share a Coke” tagline. Because of its low price point, it was easy to encourage customers to buy a bottle for themselves and one for their friends or loved ones.
What factors make a social media campaign successful? ›- 1) Goal setting. This is the first and foremost step in creating a social media strategy for your company or business. ...
- 2) Audience Awareness. ...
- 3) Social Media Audits. ...
- 4) CONTENT.
How do you make a successful campaign? ›
- Clearly define your target audience.
- Establish your goals.
- Define your budget.
- Create targeted content.
- Engage with your audience.
- Offer something valuable.
- Up your chances of going viral.
- Distribute and promote your campaign.
One of the reasons social media marketing is so effective is the fact that digital consumers spend 2.5+ hours on social platforms daily. That means, for nearly three hours a day, you have a chance to reach your target customers with your products and services.
What is the main goal of campaign? ›The campaign goal, aim or purpose states what needs to change, and to what extent, in order to solve the problem addressed by the campaign. Ideally, the goal should fit into a single, short sentence and be designed in a way that can be fully understood by all participants in the campaign.
Why is media campaign important? ›Finally, a strategic social media campaign is important because it lets you track your campaign's success. For instance, with the right professional support, you should be able to find out where your leads are coming from, and what happens to them after they land on your website.
What are campaign ideas? ›What Are Marketing Campaign Ideas? A marketing campaign is a multi-channel promotion centered around a theme, event, or specific content. Marketing campaign ideas are the published content, or events, that bring your message to your audience.
What is the best social media strategy? ›- Always educate and give value to your audience.
- Create varied content.
- Leverage customer loyalty, reviews, and user-generated content.
- Focus on the best social media channel that works for your strategy.
- Connect with other influencers in your niche.
Not Enough Information About The Target Audience
If you do not know what your audience wants to see, read, or hear, you are bound to spend more money than what you are going to make. By going the extra mile and learning as much about your audience as possible, you can effectively tweak your campaign.
While a campaign may last several months, a specific message should change more often. Changing creative every 45-60 days is ideal. Research shows that 45 days is about how long it takes a consumer to retain and recall information.