The best – and worst – social media marketing campaigns from 2022

From the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth II to the ministerial merry-go-round at Downing Street, 2022 has been another eventful year for the British public. 

The news agenda has kept social media marketing agencies incredibly busy as they work to keep their brands front and centre in the minds of their target audiences. 

With the year now coming to a close, we’ve decided to look back at some of the best and worst social media campaigns so that we might sharpen our skills for the year ahead!

 

Three of the best social media marketing campaigns from 2022

It’s fair to say that some brands have fared better than others when it comes to social media marketing campaigns from the past year. 

Winners have picked their moments to insert themselves in topical conversations and created entertaining content that really resonates with their target audiences.  

Many brands seen success on their social channels this year, and our team has been especially impressed by the work of three in particular. 

RyanAir

RyanAir has been steadily building up steam on TikTok for some time, but 2022 has been the year the brand has really taken off (sorry, the pun couldn’t be avoided!) 

With its POV posts and clever use of viral voiceovers, the airline offers a great example of how brands can build a strong social media following without a big budget. 

Many of RyanAir’s most popular TikTok’s touch on pain points experienced by its customers, whether that’s a long walk to the boarding gate or a lack of leg room once you arrive at your seat.

@ryanair

It’s what makes the ticket CHEAP 😭 #ryanair

♬ original sound – Canyon Swing – Queenstown 🇳🇿

Whatever the topic, the airline can be trusted to find a humorous angle that fits its tongue-in-cheek tone of voice. 

RyanAir’s social team uses other channels to good effect, but it’s TikTok where the brand has developed its voice and built a loyal Gen-Z following – the age group most likely benefit from a budget airline. 

Not only has the business seen a big spike in views this year, but also in engagement: some users are now calling for RyanAir to start flying to North America and Asia! 

Aldi

Aldi is another budget brand with a social media marketing strategy centred on humour. The supermarket made a big splash last year during the infamous ‘Caterpillar Cake War’ with M&S, and 2022 has been no different. 

Like RyanAir, Aldi’s strategy works by personifying the brand, bringing it down to the level of the consumer. Rather than promote its products, social media is used as a tool to engage its target audiences. 

Twitter is where the brand really excels, and was also responsible for its biggest moment on social media this year.

The #AldiAdminOOO campaign, in which Aldi ‘clocked off’ for the weekend and asked other brands to cover in its absence, generated more than five million impressions.

Elsewhere, the Aldi Twitter account can be seen reacting to Love Island and Glastonbury, posting tweets you’d expect to see from real people rather than a supermarket. 

It’s another example of how authenticity is key to engaging the younger audiences that the likes of Aldi and RyanAir are so reliant upon. 

Netflix

It’s only been out for a few weeks, but Netflix’s new series, Wednesday, has already smashed a host of viewing records. Its success has been propelled by a viral dance which fans have recreated again and again online. 

The dance is taken from the fourth episode of the show, which sees the titular character Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega, dancing to Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps. 

TikTok clearly had other ideas, as the dance that has since gone viral is instead accompanied by a sped-up version of Lady Gaga’s Bloody Mary. Mother Monster herself got involved in the trend and her song has even entered the charts more than a decade after its release.

@ladygaga

BLOODY WEDNESDAY #fyp

♬ original sound – heyy

Did Netflix expect the dance to gain so much traction? Maybe not. But with Wednesday already the second most viewed English series on the platform, the show serves as a reminder of just how effective of a marketing tool a simple dance can be.

 

Three of the worst social media marketing campaigns from 2022

Not all brands and social media marketing agencies have seen success this year. And we know it’s just important to look at what hasn’t worked out. 

From poorly judged posts to false shows of social purpose, 2022 has provided us with a number of examples of what not to do with your social media marketing strategy. 

Playmobil

News of the Queen’s death on 8th September was followed by an outpouring of grief as the British public paid tribute to its longest-serving monarch. 

Feeling the pressure to respond, many brands decided to share their sympathies on social media.  Some of these posts were poorly judged to say the least. 

One brand that came under criticism was toymaker Playmobil, which tweeted a strange tribute featuring a figurine modelled after the Queen. Not that it even looks like the Queen.

The post was met with a mix of shock, disgust and general confusion. There’s little doubting it did more harm than good for Playmobil’s public image. 

BrewDog

The 2022 World Cup has sparked endless debate about sportswashing, homophobia and workers’ rights. The many controversies surrounding the tournament have put sponsoring brands that also advocate for human rights in a difficult position. 

BrewDog, a brand that’s bullish about its social purpose, decided to take a stand by calling out FIFA in a Twitter post and pledging to donate all profits from its Lost Lager to fighting human rights abuses.

That sounds like a good move, right? Unfortunately for BrewDog, users were quick to point out that the brand still planned to sell its products in Qatar and show the games in its venues. 

The ‘anti-sponsorship’ campaign was not best received by the public and only succeeded in attracting accusations of virtue signalling, with calls for BrewDog to completely boycott the tournament or not bother at all. 

Pretty Little Thing

Pretty Little Thing’s Black Friday sales have acquired cult status in the world of fast fashion. This year, as part of its ‘Pink Friday’ campaign, the brand upped the ante by giving away cash as well as offering a 99% discount on select items.

Many customers were enthusiastic about the prospect of winning £10,000, but some questioned whether this money might better be invested in paying Pretty Little Thing’s workers. 

Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing’s parent company, has been accused on several occasions of paying its garment workers less than minimum wage.  

We’d tend to agree with the critics: giving away money to buy goodwill from customers is hardly the most ethical decision of a business unable to pay its workers a fair wage.

Looking ahead to 2023

There’s a lot to learn from the past year in social media: do ensure your posts are relatable, authentic and targeted to your key audiences; don’t cut corners on social purpose! 

The year ahead presents plenty of opportunity for social media marketing agencies to put these teachings into practice and really make the most of what social has to offer. 

Looking for a social media agency in Birmingham to support your social media marketing in 2023? Get in touch with our experts today! 

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