Supermarket giant Coles has become the latest brand to see a social media initiative go wrong, after a Twitter experiment led to a barrage of negative comments.
Last night the Coles Twitter account asked its followers to complete a sentence, saying “In my house, it's a crime not to buy ...”
The open ended comment led to a long list of negative responses, attacking Coles business practises. One follower wrote, “In my house, it's a crime not to buy LOCALLY- and I don't mean from a @coles supermarket (You idiots- you set yourselves up for this...)”.
Another follower wrote, “@Coles Finish this sentence: In my house its a crime not to buy.. milk from local dairies, rather than from a duopoly ripping farmers off.”
The company has since tried to salvage the situation, writing “It's a social media crime not to.....finish a sentence yourself. Sorry guys that post was not meant for twitter.”
Coles is the latest company to have a social media experiment backfire. Just this month, a Coca-Cola Facebook experiment saw users turn on each other with rude comments and obscenities.
Qantas also experienced a social media backlash last year, amidst the airline's industrial disputes.
Follow @AdNews on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.
Have something to say? Send us your comments using the form below or contact the writer at davidblight@yaffa.com.au
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.