Brands aren’t too different from legacy media organizations, celebrities, politicians and everyone else. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to get some social media attention in hopes that our Q ratings go up for a bit.
The concept of social media will more or less turn 20 next year with the anniversaries of Friendster and MySpace, and in that time we’ve all been subject to some truly misguided fails from the advertising industry.
Who could forget the spectacle of Pepsi’s widely mocked Kylie Jenner “heal-the-world with soda” spot? Or when IHOP started tweeting body-shaming jokes to sell pancakes and Bloomingdale’s thought people would find it hilarious to Tweet about spiking people’s beverages? Or the time Dove soap released an ad widely criticized for being racist?
It’s clear that when it comes to creating a memorable online promotion, it’s important to put a lot of thought and care into the idea, and to have an outside voice or two ask “are we sure this is a good idea?”
To be fair here, Nestlé’s (NESAF) latest online promotion for its Drumstick Sundae Cones isn’t as risibly offensive and tone-deaf as, say, the above mentioned Dove campaign. But it really does make you wonder who it's meant for.
What Is Nestlé’s Latest Campaign?
In honor of National Tattoo Day, which takes place on July 17, Nestlé’s has launched a sweepstakes.
Through the end of July, if you get a tattoo of a Drumstick Sundae Cone and tag @Drumstick on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #DrumstickInk, you will be eligible to win a one-year supply of Drumstick Sundae Cones. Five winners will be selected randomly.
In order to be eligible you have to follow @Drumstick, which makes it seem like this is all just a way for the brand to increase its online clout.
Look, we all like ice cream when summertime hits, but let’s be reasonable. A tattoo can theoretically last a lifetime, while a 20 count box of Mini Drums Vanilla Sundae Cones costs $7 online, so a year’s worth (assuming you got through a box a month) is only going to cost $140 a month.
But to be fair to Nestlé’s, the tattoo can be temporary or with a sharpie. But still, the whole thing is just silly. (And if you did go ahead and ink a Drumstick onto your arm, how would you feel if the winner just did a sharpie tattoo?)
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What Does Twitter Think Of All This?
Since this entire campaign seems to be social media engagement, and Nestlé’s has created a character (“Dr. Umstick”) who got ink to show his love of frozen dairy, it seems fair to see what Twitter thinks of all this.
Most people roasted the ad for the absurdly low value of the prize, though to be fair, a few people were into it.
