Admit it. Internet drama is very likely a guilty pleasure of yours. Let me be the first to say that it’s OK and we accept you wholeheartedly because we’re not so different.
C’mon, who doesn’t like to see a public spat? There’s something magically taboo about that we often don’t see in public and that’s why it’s so juicy. And, hey, it’s even better when it’s corporations having a go at each other’s virtual throats, which this subreddit is celebrating on the daily with screenshots and posts showing just how toasty it gets.
#1 Wendy's Versus... Hooters?! Oo
Image credits: Emergency_72
#2 Wendy’s On Crack
Image credits: TechBlock567
#3 Absolutely Smacked
Image credits: Spinfal
It is no secret that social media has become the dominant channel of corporate communication for many businesses. And it’s not just one-way communication, but also a dialogue between the companies and their customers. As well as rarer cases of conversations between companies and other companies.
#4 Apple vs. Samsung Ft. Spotify
Image credits: MeynellR
#5 Wendy's Knows How To Prove A Point
Image credits: Imok2814
#6 Wendy's vs. McDonald's
Image credits: MathC_1
Some examples are more extreme than others, but there is a reason why companies ought to be careful with their communication.
Some might be of the opinion that bad publicity is better than no publicity, but there’s a whole discussion of how that’s not always the case and where it can go south really quickly.
#7 The Shoe And Music Store Saga Continues
Image credits: MeynellR
#8 Damn Pizza Hut
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#9 R/Todayilearned R/Mensrights R/Funny
Image credits: MPN1906
First off, Nikki G., a specialist in strategic communication, content, and writing, explained that the phrase “bad publicity is better than no publicity” was originally coined by a circus showman, who was more of an exception and not the rule.
#10 Wendy's Has Made A Name For Itself By Not Giving Any Fucks
Image credits: Emergency_72
#11 The War Has Begun
Image credits: Nisarg_Jhatakia
#12 Old Spice vs. Taco Bell
Image credits: skullaccio
P. T. Barnum, the showman behind the phrase, was in a business situation where it actually made sense to generate more buzz through controversy and scandals. However, not all businesses can (or even should) thrive on it.
The other argument is that publicity is one thing, but reputation is a whole other can of beans.
#13 Asserting Dominance
Image credits: DereChen
#14 Ok Boomer
Image credits: Vyomcool
#15 Wendy's Is Playing At A Higher Level
Image credits: Imok2814
Publicity is viewed as achieving awareness. There is no good or bad per se as it is just that—awareness, knowing that something exists. Reputation, on the other hand, is what carries over into people’s minds as what something is and why it should or shouldn’t matter. In turn, it is what ultimately makes people decide on whether to invest into something or not.
#16 An Oldie But A Goodie
Image credits: Sanz_Sarcasm
#17 Not Mine, But Cold-Blooded
Image credits: TheApathyParty2
#18 Moonpie
Image credits: Vyomcool
And since we’re on the topic of terminology, Nikki also differentiates between the terms publicity and PR. TL;DR: they aren’t the same.
The purpose of PR is to manage a company’s reputation. That is done through good relationships with the public. So, good PR would mean that a given company has a positive reputation that reflects what it stands for.
#19 Bmw vs. Audi
Image credits: sachamcd7
#20 More From #nationalroastday
Image credits: sachamcd7
#21 Hope You Guys Like Them
Image credits: mrhsyd
As such, PR is a means to gain good publicity, and just that, in order to form good opinions of the company by the public. Bad publicity is not something PR does in that sense.
Now, you might have noticed previously the not always the case part when explaining how bad publicity is better than none. There are anomalies.
A good example of this is Elon Musk. His posts on X have great influence over Tesla stock prices. Heck, their fatal car autopilot crashes and the Cybertruck window failure were also a testament to how detrimental these things can be to a company’s value. But, with that said, sometimes it won’t matter and the company will continue to increase in value despite it.
#22 Pickle
Image credits: reddit.com
#23 Kfconsole Drawing First Blood!
Image credits: NotAnAss-Hat
#24 Title
Image credits: totallyarandomname
Between 2018 and 2021, Tesla stock managed to jump from around $70 to $900. The reasoning behind it was that the creator’s words didn’t matter—everyone already knows what he’s like in person. However, when they buy a Tesla, they feel like they are buying a part of the future. And if something is awry, they are quick to address the issue. And it’s been consistent.
#25 Cursed_rivalry
Image credits: MeynellR
So, keep all of this in mind if you’re going to jump into some intercorporate beef online. And if not, hey, you learned something.
With that said, what are your thoughts on any of this? Share your beefy comments in the comment section below!
Oh, and check out some of Wendy’s roasts. You won’t be disappointed.
