Why trolling your competitors is an effective brand social media strategy

Engaging in playful, and sometimes savage, social media battles with brand competitors, can drive massive online engagement and brand loyalty, a new study by emlyon business school has revealed.

However, the researchers also found that engaging in risky social media interactions with other brands can also easily backfire, proving that the line between humour and disrespect is razor thin.

These findings come from research by Mathieu Beal and Ivan Guitart, both Professors of Marketing at emlyon business school, alongside colleague Charlotte Lecuyer from, University of Auvergne.

The study explored the phenomenon of humour and the benign violation theory—where something appears as a "violation" of norms but remains light-hearted and socially acceptable.

To do so, the researchers examined a number of social media interactions between large brands, identifying those that used affiliative humour (friendly teasing) and aggressive humour (mockery, sarcasm), to gain insights about how consumers perceive brand humour.

The researchers found that affiliative humour was the safest and most well-received approach, whilst aggressive humour was riskier but could be highly effective when targeting a direct competitor.

The findings suggest brands in dominant market positions can get away with more aggressive humour, while ‘underdog’ brands risk backlash. The type of humour a brand employs is often socially accepted based on their reputation and followers.

Consumers tend to embrace brand trolling when it’s framed as part of a competitive rivalry, much like sports teams bantering before a big match. However, if a smaller brand punches up at a much bigger competitor, audiences may view it as desperate rather than clever.

The study’s findings suggest that when executed properly, trolling a competitor can: Increase engagement, leading to more shares and visibility. It can enhance brand personality, a witty, confident tone can make a brand feel more relatable and fun. As well as differentiate from competitors, standing out in a crowded marketplace requires bold moves.

However, there are risks. Brands that cross the line into mean-spirited attacks can quickly face backlash, leading to PR disasters instead of viral success.

“Brands are no longer just interacting with customers on social media; brands are finding themselves engaging with competitor content.” Says Professor Beal. “One of the most famous examples of this approach was in 2018, when Wendy’s fired off a witty, aggressive tweet mocking McDonald’s fresh beef campaign. This resulted in over 180,000 likes, more than 22 times the amount of likes on the initial McDonalds post. This viral moment highlights how brands can use humour to boost visibility and outperform even the biggest names in their industry.”

The researchers strongly recommend that managers favour affiliative humour as the safest strategy and warn social media managers against aggressive humour in an inappropriate context, as it can easily turn into a bad buzz and turn against them.

The findings show that trolling works best when targeting direct competitors in a way that feels playful rather than malicious. Brands with a strong market position can take greater risks, while smaller brands should focus on friendly, affiliative humour.

ENDS

If you would like to speak with the researchers, or receive a full copy of the research, please contact Adam Kelly-Moore at BlueSky Education – adam@bluesky-pr.com