When a brand makes a mistake on Twitter, people rejoice in a poor social media manager’s plight. You’re likely familiar with flubs like DiGiorno's unfortunate misunderstanding of a hashtag, US Airways' accidental photo essay, the American Red Cross’s beer-filled camping trip or Chrysler’s angst against Detroit drivers. Fear about messing up or worrying too much what followers think makes brands less creative. Yes, a brand can get right up to the line without crossing it. They can jump onto a trending topic and nail it. CPG brands like Denny's and even media brands like Mashable and Engadget get sassy on the daily, converting haters and trolls into life-long brand advocates in the process – and having fun, too. This panel will offer simple, uncomplicated advice to help brands stay smart and creative. And if they do mess up, we’ll talk about how they can bounce back with class, without soiling their pants in the process.

1. R E D E F I N I N G R E A L N E S S
FO R B R A N D S O N T W I T T E R
S X SW 2 0 1 5 :
# R R F B OT

2. B E I N G R E A L M U ST B E A S I N
B EC AU S E I K E E P G E T T I N G
P U N I S H E D F O R K E E P I N G I T R E A L .

3. W H O W E A R E
• BIANCA BUCKRIDEE, Success Director,
Sprinklr
@BLATANLYBIANCA
• CHRISTINA WARREN, Senior Tech Analyst,
Mashable
@FILM_GIRL
• JOHN COLUCCI, Engagement Editor, Engadget
@JOHNCOLUCCI
• M. HACKMAN, Sassy Tweetress
@Sassytweetress
#RRFBOT

4. M I STA K E S H A P P E N
When a brand makes a mistake on Twitter, followers seem to rejoice in a
poor social media manager’s plight. We’re all familiar with a few examples,
like the @RedCross’s beer-filled camping trip, @Chrysler’s angst against
Detroit drivers, or @KennethCole’s assumption about the #Cairo uprising.
#RRFBOT

5. T H E F LU B S

6. @ D I G I O R N O : # W H Y I STAY E D
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Always check
the context of a
hashtag
2. Consumers
can always tell
when an apology
is genuine
#RRFBOT

7. @ U SA I RWAYS “ VAG I N A P L A N E ”
#RRFBOT
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Always
validate URLs
2. Social Media
requires
controlled
processes for
posting (either
via a SMMS or
native platform)
NSFSXSW!

8. @ K I TC H E N A I D U SA H AT E S O BA M A?
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Entrust the right
people with native
access and ensure
they understand
how to manage
corporate accounts
on their individual
devices.
2. Who cares if a
competitor knows
your SM policy,
when your
employees don’t?
#RRFBOT

9. # S U I TC A S E P R O B S
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Hell hath no fury
like a scorned
customer!
2. Social #custserv
isn’t a nice to have,
it’s an imperative.
#RRFBOT

10. # W E W I L L W E W I L L B U L LY YO U
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Don’t punish
customers for
telling the truth.
2. Bullying
customers (and
prospects) – who
has that ever
worked out for?
#RRFBOT

11. N AT I O N W I D E # N OT O N YO U R S I D E
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. What’s your
reaction plan when
you piss off the
entire country?
2. When launching
a campaign, always
plan for the worst
#RRFBOT

12. B U T, C A N YO U R ECOV E R ?
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
When Red Cross, EPA (Kardashian
game), Gap (Sandy sale) failed, they
replied like this. Is it always a perfect
win? No, but owning up to it and
apologizing right away is key. (As
DiGiorno did earlier, as mentioned).
#RRFBOT

13. # W I N N I N G

14. A LWAYS # L I K E AG I R L
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. Tackling highly charged,
culturally relevant topics requires
intense strategic planning. It also
requires careful maneuvering that
the conversation isn't about the
brand, but the topic.
2. Emotionally connecting with an
audience requires longevity, like
real relationships.
3. Anything boys can do, girls can
as well. #thatisall
#RRFBOT

15. I H O P ’ S T U R N T BA E S B E O N F L E E K
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
1. A rather “dull”
brand can create a
singular voice on
Twitter that
addresses a
younger audience
without offending
its core Breakfast
audience, such as
Grandma
#RRFBOT

16. D E N N Y ’ S I S AC T UA L LY P R O BA B LY T U R N T
M O R A L
O F
T H E
STO RY
Being a personality
behind the handle
bodes well for
Denny’s, while
some might think
the social media
team is smoking
something green, it
feels personal, like
your friend who
wants to feed you
bacon at 2AM
#RRFBOT

17. W RA P - U P ( 1 /2 )
#RRFBOT
1. Be proactive with a social crisis plan, not reactive. Don't wait until you need one. HAVE ONE
READY. ALWAYS.
2. Always check the context of a trend or conversation.
3. Be authentic and sincere with your apologies. - duh.
4. Create an EASY and efficient process for posting content, but don't let it suffocate you either.
5. Build a rapport and relationship with your community. Ultimately, they are what really matters.
6. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY: Social can no longer be tacked on to a marketing plan like
an afterthought. It is an essential part of your marketing.
7. Get to know and trust the person or team that has access/runs your account.
8. Customer Service is priority #1 for your brand on Twitter.

18. W RA P - U P ( 2 /2 )
#RRFBOT
9. Take Customer complaints seriously and take the opportunity to LEARN from it. #ToughLove
10. Think like a troll, ACT LIKE A BRAND. Be prepared for every possible reaction, including trolls.
11. Don't be afraid to take chances but make sure to own up to the mistakes.
12. Don't be afraid to have personality, but make sure it's right for your brand AND community.

19. T H A N K YO U !
@BLATANLYBIANCA | @FILM_GIRL | @JOHNCOLUCCI | @SASSYTWEETRESS
#RRFBOT