Kenyan corporate brands, once uptight, loosen up as they engage in social media banter

However, not all companies are created equal when it comes to their social media game.

Brands use social media for a lot of things: to distribute content, to share news, to provide customer service and to have a top-of-mind awareness. And sometimes, very few times, brands use social media for jokes, burns, witty zingers and unmitigated sass.

When brand accounts share personality and humour on social media, it's delightful - and it captivates the collective internet. It humanises them, which has very few downsides to it.

It's funny when brand accounts use social media like the real people behind the copy, and it breaks up the monotony of the negativity and mistrust that characterise a lot of people's feelings about a brand's social feeds.

This week kicked off with a viral, and downright funny, tweet from user @2353claus who posted: "My unemployment era has come to an end. Mumesema  Mazda axela shii ngapi?"

Many expected the usual congratulations tweets from friends and online netizens who are genuinely happy for the lucky, newly employed person.

But this time there was a twist. Almost immediately, Kenyan brands camped at the tweet, engaging, interacting, exchanging banter and dropping quick-witted words of advice to the person behind the tweet, many using their company's known mandate to twist the answer into a favourable outcome for the brand.

It was all too clear: the individual who made the tweet had obviously conquered their days of gloom and was now evidently swimming in cash. So why not pitch yourself and tap into some of the millions?

KRA, obviously the cleverest of them all, took the first swipe, simply writing: "Congratulations." Many saw this for what it was; KRA is happy they have a new taxpaying client, but it came off funny and was rewarded with over 4,000 Retweets, 19,000 Likes, 1,300 replies and 560,000 views.

Not to be outdone, Kenya Airways flew into the conversation cheekily writing, "Umejaribu business class?" The tweet has over 1,000 retweets, 7,000 Likes, and 1,300 replies.

Probably seeing how much fun and interaction the two brands were getting, other corporates quickly joined in, and things rolled pretty quickly. And hilariously.

KFC cackled their way in, posting this banger: "Tukuwekee bucket moja ama mbili Mkuu?"

I&M Bank also rolled through, writing: "Congratulations. Kalasinga akikanyaga sana tuongeleshe. Asset finance huku ni teke teke!" 

And then Cyntonn Investments said: "Hizo za Axela anza kuweka kwa CMMF." 

Hour after hour, brand after brand, the tweet was eventually flooded with an avalanche of brilliant marketing replies, with each social media account angling to beat the last viral reply.

Laikipia Ranches joined in. And then the CIC Group. Followed by Ngao Roofing, Satira Studios, House of Dentistry, Scents Republic and multiple real estate firms.

What started as an innocuous tweet from an X user who sought to share his good news, hoping for a few claps and 'congrats', morphed into a masterclass in social media marketing, pitching and expert brand positioning.

Within 24 hours, the original tweet has been viewed over 1.8 million times and is still climbing.

As brands continue to strategise about how best to use social media to talk to consumers, they're also increasingly talking to each other.

The hope  - whether the banter is friendly or catty - is to capture some recognition for being clever and quick, all the better to get attention and followers on platforms like X.

The first and perhaps most resolute result is that banter heightens customer engagement. Social media users thrive on conflict, meaning that any type of back-and-forth between brands is more likely to go viral.

This was masterfully exemplified when, again, the KRA account posted: "Na huku watu ni warembo aki".

The tweet was quickly followed by a response from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), which replied: "Focus boss. Tuma kakitu tujenge barabara za tao."

What the managers of these social media accounts have noted is that what tends to grab attention are things that feel spontaneous, real or funny.

Instead of merely posting directly to consumers, brands are increasingly engaging with each other by cracking jokes, offering praise and even poking fun at competitors. 

Brands are becoming more human in their interactions – especially with each other.

Research shows that consumers are more likely to notice and engage with these interactions. The content feels less like marketing and more like shared digital culture. 

It can feel unexpected and entertaining, and invites audiences into a “moment”.

"When brands talk to each other, rather than just talking at consumers, it can be an effective marketing device. These exchanges are more engaging than traditional brand-to-consumer posts because they feel unexpected and unscripted," said Pascal Bachmann, Founder and CEO of Strategy Achievers.