What to say about Chick-fil-A?

This is one of the worst PR disasters I've seen in a while. Since the CEO admitted that Chick-fil-A  is against gay marriage, the fast food chain that is known for being closed on Sundays for religious observance has been slaughtered (no pun intended) in social media and other outlets. Jim Henson Co., which was supplying Jim Henson Creature Shop Puppets for Chick-fil-A Kids Meal toys, announced it would not partner with the restaurant chain anymore and two cities, Chicago and Boston, have banned Chick-fil-A from their gay-friendly cities.

Stock photo used for "fake" account

In a move to try to ameliorate some of the harsh criticism they were receiving online, Chick-fil-A apparently created a fake Facebook profile and, posing as a teenage girl, tried to defend the fast food company. What they got is even more backlash when they were called out as the account was recognized as having been created just 8 hours prior and the photo was unveiled as a stock photo. The account has since been removed from Facebook.

Regardless of your stance on this issue, Chick-fil-A broke one of the cardinal sins of social media: thou shalt not fool the people. While this tactic may have worked a few years ago, people have become savvy in social media and take deep offense to companies that think they can outsmart the average American. Now, the fight is being taken offline and right into Chick-fil-A stores. Protests have been called, and are being promoted via social media, by both sides. The religious conservatives are planning to have an “eat-in” on August 1^st and pro-gay groups are calling for a “National Same-Sex Kiss Day at Chick-fil-A” on August 3^rd.

One important lesson to learn from all this is to have an offline and online crisis management plan in place before the… chicken… hits the fan. Even though Chick-fil-A officially denies creating the fake account, had the company been a little more social savvy itself, it might have avoided this out-of-control spiral down the proverbial social media staircase to hell. It’s possible that the chain actually has enough supporters on this issue to weather the storm, but its reputation – both in the real and virtual worlds – will surely never be the same.

How do you think Chick-fil-A should have handled this crisis online? Give us your thoughts in the comments section.

Free Samples as an Ad Format Debuts on Facebook

Facebook advertising is pretty useful, and if you're a company that can offer something to your Facebook fans, it is even more useful and not to mention, beneficial. Chick-fil-A got some buzz this week for offering free samples through Facebook. The ad offered a voucher for a free breakfast biscuit, and all you had to do was fill out your mailing address. The information that Chick-fil-A gets goes only to them, and not Facebook. Once you filled out your mailing address, you can even allow friends to see you got a free sample voucher, which spreads the word.

I think this type of Facebook ad is great, and you really can't go wrong with giving free samples. It does benefit to become fans of your favorite brands because you never know when they'll start giving free stuff!

Going Cow Tipping?

Chick-fil-A is preparing for their 4th annual "Cow Tipping" event on July 11th, don't worry, no cows will be harmed for this one. They are offering a free chicken meal for those who are brave enough to dress up like a cow for lunch.

The meal includes an entree of choice, a side item and a beverage. Customers partially dressed in cow attire, such as a cow-spotted scarf, will receive a complimentary entree.