Wendy’s social media accounts are more than sassy…they’re effective

Witty comebacks, searing jabs, clever roasts…all a day in the life of Wendy’s social media team.

A far cry from most corporate marketing strategies, Wendy’s social media accounts have a reputation for quick-witted sass. As their Twitter account states, “We like our tweets the way we like our fries: hot, crispy, and better than anyone expects from a fast food restaurant.”

Their spicy tweets poke fun at competitors and customers alike, leaving none immune to their sharp tongue. Fans gobble up the banter. The fast-food powerhouse has amassed 3.8 million Twitter followers and 8.3 million Facebook followers.

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Often described by fans as “unhinged,” Wendy’s posts engage consumers through pure entertainment. Followers eagerly anticipate Wendy’s next bizarre post, and often beg for Wendy’s to “roast” them. Surprisingly, this approach translates into an effective marketing strategy – with positive implications for Wendy’s brand equity and sales conversion funnel.

Wendy’s Brand Equity – US Adults vs Twitter Users – Trended 12-Week Moving Average

QuestBrand. Base: General population of US adults, n=5,362. Base: Active Twitter users (used Twitter within the last 30 days), n=1,623. 1/1/23-8/13/23.

Brand equity measures the value that consumers see in a brand at a particular moment in time. It is an average of four components – brand familiarity, perceived quality, purchase consideration, and perceived momentum.

Using data from QuestBrand, the graph above tracks Wendy’s brand equity from January – early August 2023 among the general population of US adults (red) and active Twitter users (blue). Throughout the year, Twitter users have consistently valued Wendy’s more highly than the general population of US adults.

Examining Wendy’s sales conversion funnel, we also see a correlation between social media use and consideration. Consideration tracks whether consumers are likely to purchase a product or service from a particular brand.

The graph below tracks consumers’ purchase consideration of Wendy’s across the general population of US adults (red) and among active Facebook users (blue). Other than a brief evening out from March – April, active Facebook users consistently report a higher purchase consideration at Wendy’s than the overall population.

Wendy’s Purchase Consideration – US Adults vs Facebook Users – Trended 12-Week Moving Average

QuestBrand. Base: General population of US adults, n=5,362. Base: Active Facebook users (used Facebook within the last 30 days), n=3,917. 1/1/23-8/13/23.

These two graphs suggest that Wendy’s social media accounts may be positively impacting how consumers view the Wendy’s brand.

While their social media strategy would not work for all corporations, it sure seems to be working for this quick-service restaurant.