Food For Thought: Social Strategy Edition.
Ladies and gentlemen. The time has come. Our three opponents are here tonight which means the battle royale is here. As Bruce Buffer would say
In one corner we have the golden arches, the meal that makes you happy, yours truly, McDonalds. If you were to ask someone what is the first word they think of when it comes to fast food, McDonalds will probably be #1. They are not on 1, or 2, nor 3, but 4 social media platforms. Those would be Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. The I’m Lovin It fast food chain has blue checkmarks on all their accounts. In social media terms, this means they are the real deal. Fancy huh? I don’t even have a blue checkmark on my accounts (it’s ok. I have accepted it is nearly impossible unless I become famous).
When analyzing the content McDonalds produces, I noticed that the Facebook and Instagram accounts are integrated as one. The content is heavy with influencers. The feed is basically the same which leads me to thinking they want the same voice on both channels. However, the captioning of the posts is also the same. Each platform should have its own use that attracts different audiences. If the company wants to use the same content, then tailor the message to the specific platform. Sell on Facebook or engage on Instagram and TikTok. Speaking of TikTok, when you look through the feed, it consists of influencers and user generated content or UGC. The user generated content iis letting their customers speak for the brand. Let your followers do the marketing for you. It is free basically. On Twitter, their voice changes from informational to fun. Their posts are engaging like what should they put on their sign?
In corner #2 we have the king, the crown, the clown slayer, introducing Burger King. This giant is a direct competitor to McDonalds. I remember as a kid, we would argue who had the best burgers and fries. Sometimes, it would end in shouting matches. That is how serious this rivalry is. The two are like step brothers who don’t like each other but have to respect one another.
The amazing thing about Burger King is their strategy is almost the same as McDonalds. Creating a loyal fanbase and increasing brand awareness. It helps that, like McDonalds, their Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are verified. You can see the last post created on Facebook and Instagram are identical in everything. Again, this would be a con in my books. Make the content unique on each individual platform. It does seem that the Instagram account is more food based when it comes to content, and the overall feed look is compelling. Sometimes a messy feed may deter someone away. The more appealing it looks, the longer someone may want to stay.
Unlike McDonalds TikTok, all of Burger King’s is user generated. Honesty, I find this awesome. In a way, they are not forcing their brand down someone’s throat saying you should like us or buy this. They are keeping it fun by using TikTok filters. I understand when someone copies you it might be flattering but Burger King is literally copying McDonalds again with their Twitter account. Burger King should be trying to stand out from their competitors, not be like them. They are keeping a relaxed approach with their Tweets which don’t seem like they are the ones actually posting. If you took their name out and replaced it with another name, the two would be the same. I believe this relaxed approach is due to our third and final opponent, Wendy’s.
The red hair and freckles. Cute on the outside but killer on the inside. In the social media world, you better know Wendy’s or they will punish you. Literally. Wendy’s is known for their Twitter because they will roast you. Not just set you on fire but watch you burn to the ground. Don’t believe me? Check out these Tweetsthey made to people online. Absolute ruthlessness. This includes going after other brands. By becoming this fun and energetic voice on Twitter, they are creating a loyal fanbase that wants to listen to them. The interesting thing about this harsh go get it attitude is it is the complete opposite on their other platforms. Usually you want to have a consistent voice. That way the same message is getting across no matter the platform. In this case, Twitter is the bad cop and Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are the good cop. Their Instagram feed uses many memes to engage with their audience. Not really to spread brand awareness or increase ROI.
Like their other competitors, we have discussed the trend that everyone is using TikTok by creating user generated content. This engages with the audiences and Wendy’s may use the platform to release news on items from the menu. Informing their followers what is coming up next. Now with Facebook, it seems the platform is used for awareness on updates, new locations, and food items. I would say it is more about selling the product. Overall, Wendy’s seems to have different content on all their platforms or tailoring it to their specific audiences. Even though this is a plus, they don’t have that consistent voice because of their Twitter account.
At the end of the day, you can decide on who has a better strategy. My money is on Wendy’s to win this fight. Who do you think will win? Will Wendy’s continue their strong presence or will they fade in the coming years?
