Skillful social media management sometimes comes down to just being a nice guy. Brands that rely on channels like Twitter and Facebook to reward customers, fix consumer issues and get feedback let followers know that there’s a real person behind those status updates. Fast-food chain Taco Bell is one company that seems to really thrive from brand engagement. Over the last few years, the company has reached out to its fans on Facebook and Twitter with all kinds of personalized communication. Now one teenage swimmer and regular customer’s quirky request has proven that even big brands like Taco Bell actually read the posts on their Facebook pages.
“Where do I go after a long day’s workout? Taco Bell, of course. I eat at Taco Bell at least 5-7 times a week,” 16-year-old Ryan Klarner of Palantine, Ill., posted on Taco Bell’s Facebook Page. “So, what I am asking is this: Is there any way you guys could make me a customized Speedo that says ‘think outside the buns’ on the back of it?”
Just two weeks later, Taco Bell responded to Klarner’s request.
“What size do you wear? And what is your address?” the company posted.
This little interaction between fan and brand caught the eye of big blogs like Mashable and Huffington Post. HuffPo reached out to Taco Bell to see if its offer was legit.
“This Facebook fan caught our attention because of his passion for the brand and the way he Lives Mas with Taco Bell,” Tressie Lieberman, Taco Bell’s director of digital and social engagement, said via e-mail to HuffPo. “We are going to deliver on the fan’s original request, and also send him a Speedo that represents our new branding, Live Mas.”
Several Facebook posts, two Speedos and hundreds of tacos later, Klarner got his wish — and Taco Bell made headlines.
Talk about delicious digital engagement! But now it’s your turn, readers: Share with us great tales of interaction with brands using social media in the comments section below.
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