Dive Brief:
- Brands aren't wasting anytime on jumping into the social conversation around the winter storms hitting northeastern U.S. —hashtags #Blizzardof2015 and #Snowmageddon2015 are trending nationally.
- Some brands, like Toyota and GoToMyPC, wasted no time in buying Promoted Tweets surrounding the buzz while others—like DiGornio, RedVines, and Banana Republic are chiming in real time.
- Industry experts are warning brands to be careful when chiming in on a natural disaster that could potentially be devastating to the affected areas.
#blizzardof2015 Survival Kit: 1. Pizza 2. @Netflix 3. Warm blanket (Optional)
— DiGiorno Pizza (@DiGiornoPizza) January 26, 2015
In the rain (or snow or any slippery weather). Pledge to be a safe driver at http://t.co/9ZRZVqzSLS #TeenDrive365 pic.twitter.com/WsP0trYNe1
— Toyota USA (@Toyota) January 26, 2015
So this means staying in bed + watching netflix, right? #blizzardof2015
— Banana Republic (@BananaRepublic) January 26, 2015
Dive Insight:
The industry experts' warnings should be heeded by brands. If people lose property, suffer, or even die from the storm, making light of the situation could certainly backfire, a misstep many brands committed during Hurricane Sandy. Offering safety tips could be the best plan of action to be included in the conversation without seeming insensitive. On a side note: Netflix may be getting the most action during the storm without even trying from other brands, which may be the real success of #Blizzardof2015
