We’ve all heard of The Fog of War. It’s a phrase that refers to the uncertainty that soldiers face while in combat. Unexpected things happen all the time, especially in combat, which can lead to confusion. That confusion is extremely dangerous because it could prevent soldiers from making a decision to adjust the course of the mission.
In business, we face a similar fog all the time. How does a brand respond to public events? Companies like Wendy’s is a pro at allowing their social media team to have some freedom in responding to online postings in a somewhat snarky way. Could you imagine what it would be like if Wendy’s had to wait to get the marketing director’s signoff before responding to a tweet?
a refund
— Wendy’s (@Wendys) October 16, 2018
It works because it’s timely, and to be honest, pretty funny. The decision to reply like this can’t be made around a conference table with all hands on deck hemming and hawing over what to say. Empowering the person on the social media team allows Wendy’s to come up with some funny responses, which have given them quite a bit of free publicity lately.
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