#NuclearButton tweet inspires Brands and Social Media

Prabhakar Mundkur, Chief Mentor, HGS Interactive shares insights on how brands leveraged a moment with Nuclear Button Brand Tweets

Earlier, brands took their cues from the news, cinema and other fields. Or used topics like another brand's major event to take advantage and poke fun at them. Remember in 2017 when BMW celebrated its 100th birthday, how Mercedes acted cheekily with this ad?

It paid BMW a left-handed compliment to make a point about themselves while overtly congratulating BMW.

They also went all the way and invited all BMW employees to the Mercedes-Benz Museum “to discover the complete history of the automobile” from March 8 to 13. Mercedes also trolled BMW on social media. Their short film got 7757 comments and over 302k views.

Or remember how Virgin pulled a stunt near the London Eye when they taunted British Airways with this unique outdoor message?

Or remember how Burger King poked fun at McDonald's with this full-page ad in 2015?

Also Read: McDonald’s India and KFC join the Burger Emoji debate

Now social media is providing the same inspiration to brands that topical news from TV and print provided earlier to advertisers. While President Donald Trump's nuclear button tweet might have fazed political pundits, some brands decided to have some fun with the latest topic of conversation around the world.

Closer home, Amul Butter has for the last 5 decades always capitalized on what is the current buzz. President Donald Trumps tweet inspired this hoarding from Amul Butter.

KFC UK and Ireland decided to get cheeky with McDonald's on Twitter. Many Americans acknowledged they weren't even aware that KFC existed in that part of the world until their tweet took Twitter by storm.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the “Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times.” Will someone from his depleted and food starved regime please inform him that I too have a Nuclear Button, but it is a much bigger & more powerful one than his, and my Button works!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2018

McDonald’s leader Ronald just stated he has a “burger on his desk at all times”. Will someone from his big shoed, red nosed regime inform him that I too have a burger on my desk, but mine is a box meal which is bigger and more powerful than his, and mine has gravy! #nuclearbutton

— KFC UK & Ireland (@KFC_UKI) January 3, 2018

Great repartee to tackle competitors with something that is current and has provoked people all around the world to make a comment. At the time of writing this, McDonalds hadn't yet responded, but no doubt they are thinking of something smart and witty.

Also Read: #TheSocialCMO: In conversation with Lluis Ruiz Ribot, KFC India

In the meantime, Twitter is facing all the flak for the original Donald Trump tweet. Brands used it as a parody, but the original tweet might not have aimed at any humour!

The article is written by Prabhakar Mundkur and was first published here.