In this world of digital marketing, grabbing people’s attention is a hard job. You need to be good with your creativity, which consumes less time for people to watch and understand.
One of the bold and risk-taking marketing strategies is roasting, a brand roasting another brand. Or sometimes even roasting itself. You must be seeing many roasting trends going on — people are talking, sharing, and retweeting about it. But the question is: Is roasting a good marketing strategy for brands?
Let’s explore whether it is just a good tactic that genuinely influences people through it.
What is Roast Marketing?
Roast marketing is a witty form of advertising where they mock each other or sometimes themselves for humour and grab the attention of their audience and competitors’ audiences. It’s like stand-up comedy, with a playful tone that burns the other brand’s image, depending on the brand’s personality and target audience.
It may sound risky, but if executed correctly, it can bring a lot of engagement, brand recall, and following. Audiences start seeing you most inspiringly because people like brands who fearlessly roast others.
Brands that Nailed the Roast Game
Let’s take a look at the iconic example of a brand that does the best roast marketing and also gets success in it:
1. Wendy's
Wendy’s is a fast food brand famous for its unapologetically witty and brutally honest tweets. From roasting McDonald’s for frozen patties to responding to Twitter users, Wendy’s has built an entire online persona around being bold.
Why it works: Wendy’s knows its audience is young social media users who love humour and drama. The roast strategy positions them as a bold and honest fast food chain.
2. McDonald's vs. Burger King
The oldest rivalry between McDonald’s and Burger King is the iconic example of roasting marketing — how Burger King plays around just with the world slowly and gains so much engagement. One time, they both used each other’s packaging and roasted each other.
Why it worked: Burger King’s roast is witty and not nasty but cleverly highlights its products, creating massive online buzz and footfall.
Why Brands Are Jumping on the Roast Wagon
Roasting, when done tastefully, can be a powerful tool. Here’s why many brands are embracing roast marketing:
1. Higher Engagement
As humans, we love humour and mocking, and when any brand roasts another brand, it tends to go viral because people like brands who openly roast fearlessly. It sparks conversations, shares, and media attention.
2. Differentiation
It’s a clever way to stand out in the market; roasting shows your brand’s guts and personality.
3. Free Publicity
When a brand does such content or marketing, it gets media attention, and on social media, many pages pick this up and promote it through their pages. And this brings free PR for the brand.
4. Better Brand Recall
Roasting catches eyeballs and keeps in people’s memories because when they laugh at your jokes, they remember your name.
But What Are the Disadvantages?
Roasting is not for every brand, and it comes with a lot of risks:
1. Backlash
What can be funny for someone can be not very kind to others. A roast can even destroy your brand reputation overnight.
2. Legal Complications
Directly naming or mocking competitors might lead to defamation issues or legal battles.
3. Not Everyone Gets the Joke
Humour is subjective. If your audience doesn’t get the joke, it can fall flat or damage your image.
So, Should You Do Roast Marketing?
The answer lies in one word: strategy.
The strategy should align with your brand’s personality, target audience, and marketing goal. If your customers are youthful, edgy, and social media savvy, roast marketing could be a goldmine. But if you’re in a serious industry like finance or healthcare, avoiding this marketing is better.
The Indian Angle: How Indian Brands Can Leverage Roast Marketing
As India grows in the digital landscape, brands are finding ways to make space in this cluttered online market. Whether you are in the food industry or a fashion brand, roast marketing done right can drive powerful engagement and make a space for you in the market.
Collaborating with the best social media marketing agency in Ahmedabad is essential, as it can help you with this crucial strategy. We have different audiences and cultural understandings, so we can suggest the best plan.
An experienced team from a top social media agency in Ahmedabad can help you craft funny, relatable, and brand-safe roast content. We can identify what topic to touch and what lines not to cross.
Roasting Ad Films
Roast marketing isn’t just limited to Instagram or tweeting; with the help of experienced ad filmmakers in Ahmedabad, you can create humorous, roast-style video campaigns that go viral.
Some brands, like Pepsi and Samsung, have made humour-roasting ads to mock their competitors.
Conclusion
Roast marketing is a risky kind of marketing because it can come back and backfire. The only way to execute it properly is through strategy.
- Keep it humorous, not hateful
- Be strategic, not impulsive
- Know your target audience
Above all, work with professionals — whether a PPC company in Ahmedabad, an ad filmmaker, or a social media agency — and choose a partner who understands your brand and the pulse of your audience.
A roast can turn your brand from just another name to a viral sensation if done right.
Reach out to us for the best strategy — whether roast marketing, video ads, or a paid campaign; let us craft the perfect ideas for your brand.