---
title: "Emojinal, #AskSeaWorld and Other Social Media Slip Ups"
description: Know you're doing the right thing when it comes to your social media marketing efforts in 2016 by looking at some mistakes that other businesses have made.
image: https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hubfs/Blog_Featured-Images/IPHONE-HANDS.jpg
---

[![Thrive Logo](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hubfs/thrive-logo-pink-1.svg)](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/)

- [What We Do](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/what-we-do)
- [About](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/about-us)
- [Approach](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/approach)
- [Work](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/work)
- [Blog](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog)
- [Contact](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/contact)

Blog

# Emojinal, #AskSeaWorld and Other Social Media Slip Ups

March 4, 2016

8 Minute Read

By Thrive HQ

## House of Fraser's 'Emojinal' campaign got a LOT of people talking, but not necessarily for the right reasons and they aren't the only company to slip up thanks to their own campaign...

Whether it's Sea World's hijacked **#AskSeaWorld** campaign or Red Lobster missing a massive trick at this year's Super Bowl, we've listed our favourite social media slip ups below... 

### Red Lobster

Popular American restaurant Red Lobster didn't take advantage of a great opportunity on social media.

They were directly referenced in Beyonce's new song 'Formation' which very quickly started trending on Twitter. It took them over seven hours to respond and they chose to reply with this:

> [<blockquote%20class="twitter-tweet"%20data-lang="en"><p%20lang="en"%20dir="ltr">&quot;Cheddar%20Bey%20Biscuits&quot;%20has%20a%20nice%20ring%20to%20it,%20don&#39;t%20you%20think?%20<a%20href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Formation?src=hash">#Formation</a>%20<a%20href="https://twitter.com/Beyonce">@Beyonce</a>%20<a%20href="https://t.co/QzgVtYAKNo">pic.twitter.com/QzgVtYAKNo</a></p>&mdash;%20Red%20Lobster%20(@redlobster)%20<a%20href="https://twitter.com/redlobster/status/696193227477684224">February%207,%202016</a></blockquote>%20<script%20async%20src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"%20charset="utf-8"></script>](%3Cblockquote%20class="twitter-tweet"%20data-lang="en"%3E%3Cp%20lang="en"%20dir="ltr"%3E&quot;Cheddar%20Bey%20Biscuits&quot;%20has%20a%20nice%20ring%20to%20it,%20don&#39;t%20you%20think?%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Formation?src=hash"%3E#Formation%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/Beyonce"%3E@Beyonce%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20href="https://t.co/QzgVtYAKNo"%3Epic.twitter.com/QzgVtYAKNo%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E&mdash;%20Red%20Lobster%20(@redlobster)%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/redlobster/status/696193227477684224"%3EFebruary%207,%202016%3C/a%3E%3C/blockquote%3E%20%3Cscript%20async%20src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"%20charset="utf-8"%3E%3C/script%3E)
> 
> ["Cheddar Bey Biscuits" has a nice ring to it, don't you think?](%3Cblockquote%20class="twitter-tweet"%20data-lang="en"%3E%3Cp%20lang="en"%20dir="ltr"%3E&quot;Cheddar%20Bey%20Biscuits&quot;%20has%20a%20nice%20ring%20to%20it,%20don&#39;t%20you%20think?%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Formation?src=hash"%3E#Formation%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/Beyonce"%3E@Beyonce%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20href="https://t.co/QzgVtYAKNo"%3Epic.twitter.com/QzgVtYAKNo%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E&mdash;%20Red%20Lobster%20(@redlobster)%20%3Ca%20href="https://twitter.com/redlobster/status/696193227477684224"%3EFebruary%207,%202016%3C/a%3E%3C/blockquote%3E%20%3Cscript%20async%20src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"%20charset="utf-8"%3E%3C/script%3E)[#Formation](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Formation?src=hash) [@Beyonce](https://twitter.com/Beyonce) [pic.twitter.com/QzgVtYAKNo](https://t.co/QzgVtYAKNo)
> 
>  — Red Lobster (@redlobster) [February 7, 2016](https://twitter.com/redlobster/status/696193227477684224)

This would have been a great opportunity to connect with Beyonce's fan base as well as people through the hashtag itself. Red Lobster did not do this and they received a lot of messages mocking them for it.

### House of Fraser

Popular retail shop House of Fraser did not get the reaction they were hoping for when they ran their **#Emojinal** social media campaign.

![HOF.jpg](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/HOF.jpg?width=1024&name=HOF.jpg "HOF.jpg")

([Image Source](https://twitter.com/houseoffraser/status/694106698877788163))

They used emoji filled images to try and engage with Twitter users, but unfortunately their plan backfired and they received a lot of ridicule for their campaign.

### SeaWorld

In 2015, SeaWorld, the popular theme park group, started a **#AskSeaWorld** social media campaign with the hope that it would encourage people to ask about the care of killer whales.

Animal rights campaigners hijacked SeaWorld's social media campaign, among the questions about the care of orcas there were comments directed at the marine parks, criticising decisions to keep animals in captivity. People questioned its ethics of SeaWorld for keeping killer whales and other animals in captivity, often in solitary confinement.

It's safe to say that the reaction was not the desired effect that SeaWorld when they launched this social media campaign. 

### Victoria's Secret

Popular retailer Victoria's Secret launched a campaign in 2014 with the slogan "The Perfect Body".

![screen_shot_2014-10-31_at_11.23.27_am.png](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Content-Images/screen_shot_2014-10-31_at_11.23.27_am.png?width=1024&name=screen_shot_2014-10-31_at_11.23.27_am.png "screen_shot_2014-10-31_at_11.23.27_am.png")

This campaign received backlash on Twitter and inspired the **#IAmPerfect** hashtag, where people called it offensive.

The campaign was poorly judged and should have perhaps been thought about for a little longer before they decided to launch it.

Now you have seen some of the mistakes that businesses have already made when it comes to social media marketing, hopefully you will be able to ensure that your business doesn't follow in their footsteps.

#### Share this post...

<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://www.thriveability.co.uk//blog/businesses-that-got-social-media-campaigns-wrong> <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet> <http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?url=https://www.thriveability.co.uk//blog/businesses-that-got-social-media-campaigns-wrong> [mailto:?Subject=Check%20out%20this%20post&Body=https://www.thriveability.co.uk//blog/businesses-that-got-social-media-campaigns-wrong](mailto:?Subject=Check%20out%20this%20post&Body=https://www.thriveability.co.uk//blog/businesses-that-got-social-media-campaigns-wrong)

Ready to talk?

## Whether you need a new website, a branding refresh, or a marketing strategy, the first step is a conversation.

We'll give you an honest view of where you are and what's worth doing next.

## You may also like to read...

<https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-more-results-by-growing-your-instagram-account>

 April 2, 2015

#### [How to Get More Results by Developing Your Instagram Account](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-more-results-by-growing-your-instagram-account)

Be honest, how many of you have set up an Instagram account for your business but you're not quite sure what to do with it next?

<https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/social-media-compliance-what-it-means-and-how-to-guarantee-it>

 February 27, 2019

#### [Social Media Compliance: What It Means and How to Guarantee It](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/social-media-compliance-what-it-means-and-how-to-guarantee-it)

In simple terms, being compliant on social media simply means following the rules when engaging with the public on your social media...

<https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/what-kpis-should-you-be-tracking-to-prove-social-media-success>

 September 23, 2016

#### [Which KPIs Should You Be Tracking to Prove Social Media Success?](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/blog/what-kpis-should-you-be-tracking-to-prove-social-media-success)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are useful for measuring the success of your social media efforts, but what you must know is which KPIs...

![hubspot-logo-white](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hubfs/2021%20Assets/Partner%20Logos/hubspot-logo-white.svg "hubspot-logo-white") ![google-partner-logo-white](https://www.thriveability.co.uk/hubfs/2021%20Assets/Partner%20Logos/google-partner-logo-white.svg "google-partner-logo-white")

Copyright © Thrive Marketing Limited 2026

[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrivehq?trk=top_nav_home/)

[hello@thriveability.co.uk](mailto:hello@thriveability.co.uk) [01325 778 786](tel:01325%20778%20786)