Netflix brings millions of people from all over the world joy with the movies and tv series they allow them to see – often for hours and hours on end. That’s not the only way Netflix is killing it, though. Their Twitter accounts from all the ends of the Earth are also phenomenal. Here’s a just a few examples.
1. When Netflix can’t understand you’re a binge watching pro.
Netflix’s specific social-media tone was born in the spring of 2017, when it had just launched a House of Cards Twitter feed in Brazil. An editorial manager in Brazil decided to communicate as. The company, which was founded in 1997, didn't introduce streaming until 2007, and its main US Twitter account wasn't created until 2008. In the early years, Netflix's Twitter was noticeably. The latest tweets from @NetflixBrasil.
With little transparency, Netflix casts New Age digital advertising and public relations as a good cause. Sometimes Netflix crosses troubling lines more publicly. In March, a Twitter user named Joe Gil replied in classic online misogynist fashion to a @NetflixFilm tweet sharing the trailer for Brie Larson’s directorial debut Unicorn Store.
[extremely samuel l. jackson in pulp fiction voice] ASK ME IF I’M STILL WATCHING ONE MORE TIME
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 19, 2017
2. Same.
My favorite Christmas carol pic.twitter.com/6jemvrwI2x
Netflix Twitter Post
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 7, 2017
3. Painfully true.
Me on Monday vs. Me by Wednesday pic.twitter.com/u7X8J4LJv3
— Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) December 6, 2017
4. They had the best reaction to the news about Twitter increasing its character limit.
Did we do it right? #280characterspic.twitter.com/Lg2DZZgo4o
— Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) November 8, 2017
5. Their original movies are Oscar-worthy.
For your consideration pic.twitter.com/9K3Ee0QHAP
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 6, 2017
6. Please step forward. They just want to help.
To the 53 people who've watched A Christmas Prince every day for the past 18 days: Who hurt you?
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 11, 2017
7. Seriously, they really love A Christmas Prince.
Me: “I’m going to bed early tonight and getting a full 8 hours of sleep”
Also, me at 11:47 p.m. pressing play on A Christmas Prince pic.twitter.com/hMTUlFY0EZ
— Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) December 12, 2017
8. Don’t worry, they also love other Christmas classics.
he's making a list
he's checking it twice
he's gonna find out who's pic.twitter.com/feh3NnmEUq
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 21, 2017
9. They know how to describe a movie with laser accuracy.
8 Mile, the heartwarming tale of a nauseous young man who cures his sweaty palms through the power of mom's spaghetti, is now streaming.
— Netflix US (@netflix) December 2, 2017
10. They love quoting their favorite shows.
This is something that I live by, and I always have, and I always will: Don't ever, for any reason, do anything, to anyone, for any reason, ever, no matter what, no matter where, or who you are with, or where you are going, or where you've been, ever, for any reason whatsoever.
— Netflix US (@netflix) November 20, 2017
-Wayne Gretzky
— Netflix US (@netflix) November 20, 2017
11. In case you were wondering.
Everybody is at least a 97% match with Love Actually Dave.
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) December 22, 2017
12. Their different accounts love interacting with fans… and with each other.
This is a great twitter account
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) December 20, 2017
*wakes up and searches for appropriate meme through tears* pic.twitter.com/WefKd1Sff4
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) December 21, 2017
13. They have tons of helpful tips.
If you start watching Bridesmaids at exactly 10:57:36 on New Year's Eve, you can scream 'I'm ready to party' along with Kristen Wiig at exactly midnight, starting your new year right before you notice a colonial woman churning butter.
— Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) December 18, 2017
14. Look no further for some mind-blowing fun facts about your favorite series. (Stranger Things in this case)
so…
Mike called Eleven every night for 353 days
353 days
3
+
5
+
3
=
11
— Netflix US (@netflix) October 28, 2017
15. And they know you better than you know yourself.
'One more episode' – You, lying straight to your own face.
— Netflix ANZ (@NetflixANZ) August 5, 2017
On Twitter, Netflix is 100% the coolest kid at the party.
Pssst… follow us on Instagram for even more social media treats!
A post shared by The Best Of Social Media (@thebestofsocial) on
This last weekend, Netflix posed a slightly NSFW question to other brands: “what’s something you can say during sex but also when you manage a brand twitter account?”
Although the brand didn’t create “Netflix and chill,” they’ve certainly embraced it. Other brands were quick to hop in bed with Netflix on this one, and the results are memorable.
So, without further ado, we’d like to share a few of our favorites. Then, we’ll wrap it up and finish.
With some social media branding lessons for your credit union, that is.
Beware: Suggestive Content Below
Let’s be honest for a quick second. There’s very little of substance here for most credit union employees. But it will make for a very exciting and pleasurable time waster.
But for credit union social media account managers, this definitely counts as professional development research.
“What’s something you can say during sex but also when you manage a brand Twitter account?”
So, now I’m wondering what a “Mandalorian” is. I thought I knew. And while most intimate moments don’t call for more players—or such an audience—many more brands jumped in.
You can tell that the brand managers are really having fun with this. And you can also see that their followers are enjoying it too. We’re seeing tens of thousands of likes and a healthy number of retweets, too.
And, while likes and retweets aren’t the best indicators of brand engagement, they’re certainly better than crickets.
Some of the entries were very explicit:
Others played it a bit safer, allowing people’s imaginations to do some of the heavy lifting. If you look hard enough, there’s a double entendre in many brand slogans already.
Even some more serious and family-friendly brands got in the mix. Although, we agree with Adele that there may be some boundaries being crossed here…
And of course, did it work? Well, some brands got the kind of immediate reaction they might have only dreamed of before publishing. It’s hard to measure ROI on responses, but these have to be worth something:
Okay, so what’s the big idea?
Don’t worry—there’s more to this piece than a mere celebration of “that’s what she said” humor. There are some lessons to take from Netflix’s viral Twitter thread.
And these lessons can (and should) be applied loosely to credit union social media strategy.
Lessons from Netflix’s Social Media Game
So, what can we learn from Netflix’s Twitter thread?
Well, not too many. But there’s enough that credit unions should still pay attention.
1. Have fun with it
Social media is not a good sales platform for financial institutions. And, with revised algorithms that limit your organic audience, it’s barely even a good place to advertise. (At least, not without paying.)
So, what gets traction?
Cancel Netflix Twitter
Witticisms. Personal stories. Irreverence. Trenchant observations.
For people to pay attention to you, you have to be worth paying attention to. And if you approach social media like a chore, it will be a chore to read. If you have fun with it, so will your audience.
To get better engagement and brand awareness, you have to make your brand fun and accessible.
2. Invite participation
Netflix’s question merely created an arena for Twitter account managers to showcase both their brand and their humor. The thread’s success was entirely a result of their followers’ humor.
If your credit union wants more social media success, consider inviting your members to participate in a low-stakes atmosphere. No polls. No open-ended questions. Just an invitation to keep a joke going (or something to that effect).
3. Don’t be crass
Wait, what? After all those NSFW innuendos, we’re recommending not going there?
But no, you shouldn’t go there. Your credit union isn’t trying to sell alcohol or lifestyle goods—it needs to be trustworthy. People come to you for financial advice, not for fart jokes.
You don’t need to undermine that trust with blue humor.
4. Don’t “be” your brand
As a social media or marketing professional, you understand the importance of building a brand. You can’t do something that would violate your brand’s identity or image.
But you also know that brands are basically just built by people following a general rulebook. Your social media can be a reflection of those people as much as that rulebook. And it should be.
Not only that, but so long as you follow your brand guidelines, the world is your oyster. You can even reinforce your brand—or breathe new life into it—by pushing the boundaries just a bit. The dissonance between expected brand behavior and actual brand behavior can remind people what exactly your brand stands for just as well as strict brand adherence.
So, don’t “be” your brand. Don’t embody it. Rather, represent it…
Through your own words.
Final Thoughts
Credit unions can learn a lot from the Netflix viral Twitter thread. But above all, the gist is this:
It’s getting harder and harder to distinguish oneself from the competition in the world of social media. People scroll very fast. You don’t have long to get anyone’s attention. One of the best ways to get it (and keep it) is by acting more like a human—and less like a brand.
Brand and social media management can take a lot of work. Finding the right content, scheduling posts, and responding to members requires a lot of organization and manual posting time.
Marketing automation can help with some of that (plus a whole lot more).
Subscribe to our blog to learn more about social media, marketing, and branding in the credit union industry.
Netflix Twitter Us
Or just scroll down to see more brands gone wild.