Marketing professionals understand that successful marketing work doesn't necessarily mean just talking about your company or product.
Sometimes, the most effective marketing doesn't have anything to do with the business or what they sell.
Wendy's is a great example of this indirect marketing.
A few years back, their social media accounts got spicier than their Spicy Chicken sandwiches. Their Twitter started roasting competitors, cracking jokes in comments, clapping back at people and generally being a red-headed menace.
People loved it, sales and engagement soared, execs took note.
Fast forward to this week and RadioShack sending out a series of tweets so unrelated and jarring that people initially assumed the account had been hacked.
The electronics company kicked off it's new social media style by making some decidedly "bro" decisions, like tweeting about female ejaculation.
That tweet got deleted, but not before people got screenshots! ... so they just put it back up.
Mind you, that post came after a series of other absolutely wild tweets over the last week or so - many if which targeted and insulted people, mostly women.
Like so:
While initially people thought the account had been hacked, it seems it's far worse than that.
RadioShack has been purchased by internet "get rich quick" guy Tai Lopez. His YouTube videos have drawn ire in the past, so these tweets are no surprise to anyone who knows his style.
Tai Lopez has a marketing style that many have compared to an edgelord 13-year-old who thinks being awful is hilarious and makes him cool.
And while that style certainly works for some - mostly other edgelord teenagers or people with that mentality - it's been a major turnoff for others and does little to explain what is actually happening with the brand.
They do still sell electronics - but have pivoted to push cryptocurrency and blockchain.
The bro-vertising that drips with misogyny is purposeful.
As for RadioShack - they're loving all the attention. Positive or negative, people are talking about the company.
It doesn't look like they'll be moving away from this marketing tactic any time soon.
Oh, well.
It was fun while it lasted.
