Twitter can be a great way for companies to publicize their “personality” and connect with end-consumers. But that quick line of communication means the social media platform can serve as an accelerator during marketing crises. Kimberly Legocki, a student in California State University – Northridge’s joint Doctorate of Business Administration program with the Grenoble Ecole de Management, has authored an academic study based on her dissertation investigating how angry consumers and social justice activists use Twitter to respond to brand incidents. “There are some instances where brands need to realize consumers are just venting. That requires a different form of response strategy than the activists on Twitter who are really calling for action and leading change,” said CSUN Professor of Marketing Kristen Walker, who co-authored the study. If a user is venting, Walker said, they just want to be heard. The brand, then, should respond with a quick and private message or even an automated response. For activists, a personalized and public response is best. One example used in the study is that of Walmart Inc., which in 2015 began selling an Israeli soldier costume for Halloween. Twitter users condemned the move as offensive considering the political climate in the Middle East, leading to Walmart’s removal of the costume from its website. Walker said the study found ways companies could distinguish valid social criticism from opinionated venting but could not provide details because the study is currently under peer review by a journal.
