Brands leveraging banter to win hearts, minds as tool for engagement
By Felicia Nwosu
In today’s hyper-competitive digital landscape, brands are constantly vying for attention. Cutting through the noise requires more than just slick ads and flashy campaigns.
This playful, witty exchange between brands, often seen on social media, is emerging as a powerful tool for engagement and a unique way to connect with audiences.
A notable brand strategist and creative nerd, Uche Ozor, Associate Provost at 02 Academy, once stated that, brand banter itself involves witty replies, clever comebacks, playful memes, and other humorous interactions designed to engage audiences.
“ It’s about building relationships, fostering community, and creating a more approachable brand image.
While effective, it’s crucial to ensure the banter aligns with the brand’s personality and values, avoiding anything that could offend or alienate the audience.”
He explained that humor is a powerful tool to grab attention, cuts through the clutter, while making brands more memorable.
The creative nerd added that, by injecting humor into their communications, brands can break free from the constraints of traditional, often dry, marketing messages.
This humanizes the brand, fostering a sense of warmth, familiarity, and trust with their audience
Other industry experts also cautioned brands to take heed while leveraging banter as a tool for engagement.
They advised that brand banter must comply with advertising regulations in each country, ensuring it’s not misleading or deceptive.
Today, the digital age has transformed brand rivalry. Take Coca-Cola and Pepsi, for example.
This iconic rivalry, once confined to shelf space, now plays out across social media, reflecting the evolving values and preferences of a new generation of consumers.
Similarly, the McDonald’s and Burger King feud has transcended traditional advertising, with Burger King consistently pushing creative boundaries and influencing industry trends.
Years ago, a playful exchange between Nigerian banks took the social media world by storm. It all started when Sterling Bank tweeted: “Shoot for the moon, become a star, it’s the least you deserve, welcome to Sterling Bank. In shooting for the moon, men become stars.”
Union Bank quickly responded with a witty comeback: “Heading to the moon without a spacesuit… Journey mercies. #SimplerSmarterSaferBanking.”
Not to be outdone, Access Bank joined the conversation: “We will travel on an imaginary rocket too, if we were a one-customer Microfinance Bank, but with ten million customers and counting, we rather bring the galaxy to you. #Youareworthit#Taketomorrow#Knowyourelders.”
Finally, FirstBank chimed in with a touch of wisdom: “What an elder sees while sitting, a child cannot see even if he travels to the moon. #RespectYourElders#YouFirst.#
This playful exchange generated a lot of buzz online, showcasing the wit and competitive spirit of the Nigerian banking industry.
While the banter added a touch of lightheartedness to the competitive landscape, Sterling Bank later issued an apology to the other banks, emphasizing the importance of maintaining respectful relationships within the industry.
In the brewery space, the ultimate Guilder in its banter bragged that they are the men, which Harp Lager Beer in its open letter to Guilder, responded and said,” The Real men are outside drinking”
Beyond the Nigerian banking scene, we see numerous examples of successful brand banter:
Burger King challenged McDonald’s with its “The Whopper Detour” campaign, offering a 1-cent Whopper to customers within 600 feet of a McDonald’s location.
Wendy’s took aim at Burger King’s frozen beef patties with its “Never Frozen” campaign, delivering a series of humorous jabs that resonated with consumers.
Coca-Cola subtly underscored its dominance in the soft drink market by featuring a Photoshopped Pepsi can in its “Taste the Feeling” campaign. While Pepsi in another instance, showcased a boy climbing on the can of Coke just to get Pepsi.
Apple highlighted the seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem with its “If You Don’t Have an iPhone” campaign, subtly poking fun at Samsung.
Nike’s “Dream Crazy” campaign, featuring Colin Kaepernick, sparked a response from Adidas, showcasing the competitive spirit that fuels their marketing efforts.
Domino’s Pizza offered to fill potholes in towns across the US, cleverly referencing Pizza Hut’s “No One OutPizzas The Hut” slogan, highlighting Domino’s commitment to customer satisfaction.
KFC subtly referenced Popeyes’ “Love That Chicken” slogan, emphasizing the unique taste and experience of their own fried chicken.
Google showcased the capabilities of its search engine, subtly acknowledging Bing’s limitations, with its “Search Reimagined” campaign.
Mercedes-Benz subtly challenged BMW’s “The Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan, highlighting its own pursuit of excellence with its “Obsessed with the best” campaign.
Audi playfully referenced BMW’s slogan, positioning its Quattro technology as the superior choice for driving enthusiasts, with its “Land of Quattro” campaign.
In 2009, BMW and Audi engaged in what is now referred to as the “billboard wars.” Both companies engaged in a back-and-forth banter regarding who was the “chess master” of the car world. The rise of social media has allowed for a new era of brand-to-brand dialogue
These examples demonstrate the creative and humorous ways brands engage in banter, often indirectly referencing their competitors while subtly highlighting their own unique strengths and benefits.
No doubt that, brand banter, when executed thoughtfully and strategically, can be a powerful tool for engagement in today’s dynamic digital landscape.
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