It’s 2016 and social media is intertwined with everything we do. Selfies, ‘foodporn’ and #hashtags are the norm, while brands are continually populating news feeds, posting content and interacting with customers and other companies.

Some brands are boring, so let’s ignore them. However, some get it just right, using their wit to create funny replies – whether they’re responding to criticism or just engaging in a bit of banter.

The great thing is that it’s all in the public domain, which means we can see almost everything brands say in response to customers. We’ve used that power to find 10 of the best examples:

When Argos went gangsta

Back in 2014, Argos Helpers went full ‘gangsta’ with their response to a question from Immy ‘BADMAN’ Bugti and received over 9,000 retweets and 5,414 retweets for their effort.

Argos showed that you can respond with humour, and that adding a touch of personality can really pay off.


When Tesco ‘dissed’ Drake

Whatever your opinion of performer Drake, there’s no doubt Tesco was the winner when it commented on the rumours that the rapper doesn’t write his own lyrics, tweeting the following:


When Virgin Trains saved the day

There’s nothing worse than running out of toilet roll. Adam Greenwood, a passenger on Virgin Trains, found that out in 2014. However, he used Twitter to get in touch with Virgin and two minutes later they responded to save the day.

Response times, along with quality of customer service, are now monitored closely by the public – Virgin Trains succeeded on both fronts.


When Samsung sent a Dinosaur phone cover to a customer

This Samsung customer got more than he bargained for after tweeting his mobile phone provider with a question about whether he could get a free Galaxy S3 handset, accompanied with a drawing of a dinosaur.

Following a short exchange, Samsung responded with its own drawing and shortly after, a handset arrived in the post. Obviously, it can’t do this for every customer, but in this instance it went viral, so one small moment of kindness made a huge difference.

When Waterstones rescued a man locked in its Trafalgar Square store

Getting locked in Waterstones overnight wouldn’t be too bad if you were a huge bookworm, but you’d still probably miss your own bed. Incredibly, it nearly happened to David Willis. However, he used Twitter to notify the store he was stuck inside, tweeting “Please let me out.” They did – nice one Waterstones!


When Tesco told some hard truths

This one needs no explanation. It’s simply a brilliant example of how a bit of banter on social media can capture the attention – and hearts – of thousands. Well done, Tesco Mobile.


When Smart Car lived up to its name

Smart by name, Smart by nature. Smart Car used maths to prove that one bird pooping on one of its cars wouldn’t be enough for it to be completely written off. The result, in the form of an infographic, was hilarious:

When Sainsbury’s went pun-tastic

We all love a good pun. Sainsbury’s is no exception, just take a look at its lengthy conversation with copywriter Marty Lawrence. Looks like it kept two people busy for a couple of hours or so.


Tesco does it again

Don’t mess with Tesco, that’s all we’re saying.


Everything that James Blunt does on Twitter

Finally, he’s not a brand, but singer/songwriter James Blunt is possibly the most quick-witted celebrity on Twitter and someone that brands should certainly take inspiration from.

There’s one of his responses below, but just scroll through his ‘tweets & replies’ tab for guaranteed entertainment.


We’re on Twitter, so give us a follow and get in touch. We’ll respond, although we can’t promise it’ll be as hilarious or ridiculous as these examples!