A few years ago, my most controversial opinion was always my great disdain for the “sassy brands”.

People like Netflix and Wendy’s, who built their online presence around snappy comebacks, pushing boundaries and sharp copy…

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a big fan of wordplay and good copywriting. I love it when a brand, big or small, gives their people freedom to stretch the voice as it needs to. And these brands set things up in a big way. 

They produced reams of engaging, high-value content that was always waiting to go viral. But with great power comes great responsibility. 

I think those responses and voices were misused frequently. And that it counts as bullying.

Different social networks. 

Let’s take a quick break and talk about the different kinds of social networks out there.

Some, like Facebook, are focused on small bubbles that you create yourself. You add friends, connect with people and talk to that group. For the most part, it’s how people lived their lives before social media.

Occasionally, you make a post about a baby, a new job or an engagement announcement and get a lot of attention.
Like being asked to give a toast at a friend’s wedding, most of the time you talk to a small group of people, like chatting to your friend’s group or at a dinner party. 

The other type of social media is the town square. Your Instagrams and X/Twitter. Bluesky and Linkedin. Where the default behaviour is that everything is visible to everyone. Whatever you say can be seen by everyone at once. 

But we’re talking about “can”, not is. 

The reality for most people is like a closed network. Most of the time, your content still isn’t seen by a large group of people. The average Instagram post or Twitter user isn’t seeing 10,000 people reply to their tweets. They’re talking in “public” but they’re still only one voice in a sea of many. If you’re at Comic-Con, most people aren’t hearing what you say to your friend beside you. 

The spotlight.

But a sharp reply or a joke from a big brand isn’t just fun. It’s a spotlight. When a brand with 20 million followers responds and replies to someone with a joke, it’s amplified. 

Suddenly someone is catapulted from a tiny corner of the room onto the centre stage.  

Suddenly someone without comms or PR training is slapped, scolded or clapped back by someone who knows exactly where the line is. They reply pushing things just far enough. 

Their followers though, aren’t the same. There’s no corporate accountability for most people. There’s nothing holding back random users from piling on. And people do. The internet loves a spectacle. And as likes and replies pile up, algorithms push and amplify content into wider and wider circles.  

Did everyone really like a selfie of a small group of celebrities taken at the Oscars? After a certain point people liked and commented because the post was there. It went viral, it was loud, and the attention was simply on it. 

But ordinary people, especially those seeking help or airing a complaint were never expecting to be seen by tens of thousands, even millions of people. Even a few hundred notifications can be overwhelming. A decade ago when you got 60 comments about your birthday on your Facebook wall, how could you really engage? By the time you got halfway down the list it quickly turns into a “thanks Tim” and nothing more. 

I think brands have a responsibility for how they engage. And what they amplify and spread. Wielding your following to gather likes by degrading someone with a genuine complaint isn’t comedy, it’s harassment. 

The line between predator and playful isn’t about intent; it’s about impact. 

Brand Tips. 

• Are you being a little sassy in your reply, or are you farming for engagement? 

• Who is the author of the comment? Maybe you’re replying to someone in a different weight class? 

Customer tips. 

• If you find yourself unexpectedly viral? Lockdown. Don’t hesitate, just go private. 

• Turn off your phone. Vibrations every 2 seconds gets stressful fast 

• Has your username become a meme? Pick a new one. Just switch!