The question of risk vs. reward for start-up brands on social media

With Duolingo the latest enterprise under fire for a social gaff, how can brands allow their social media teams the freedom to entertain without risking a PR disaster?

Most brands suck at organic social. Their strategies are so turgid and internal content guidelines so prohibitive that Tweets, Posts, Insta pics, videos and TikToks are nothing short of generic, soulless platitudes. With restrictions limiting content to boring company updates, the occasional new hire post, product launch or self-congratulatory back slap, the majority of brand-owned accounts get little traction. They’re boring and are, unsurprisingly, ignored as a result — meaning organic social as a channel becomes a very costly extension of a customer service department twinned with a defunct vanity project.

Those that put their head above the parapet and generate real engagement are rare gems, however to achieve greatness, they constantly tread the line between moments of ‘Ha’ and ‘Aargh’. Take language learning App Duolingo, often praised for its humorous commentary and slightly abstract owl mascot, Duo. With 4.2 million followers on TikTok, the brand’s social team is obviously excelling however recently, it apparently overstepped the mark.