The Kit Kat & Twix case. Does kindness really pay off for brands?
After all, market is competition, right?
However, many people value integrity and fair play. And they wish to reward brands that embrace these values.
Is flattery more beneficial to the giver or the recipient?
In 2021, in a series of 12 experiments led by Duke University, two groups of consumers were shown two fake tweets (when we could still call them tweets...) by Kit Kat (snacks that I suppose needs no introduction):
- First tweet - Kit Kat praises Twix: @twix, Competitor or not, congrats on your 54 years in business! Even we can admit - Twix are delicious
- Second tweet - Kit Kat praises itself: Start your day off with a tasty treat!
11 days later, the percentage of those who bought a Kit Kat:
- was 31.95% among those who had seen the first tweet - the competitor's praise
- was 23.77% among those who had seen the second tweet - the trivial self-praise
And the delicious Twixes? Did they benefit from the kind compliment paid to them?
Apparently not: the purchase of Twix, unlike what happened to Kit Kat, did not increase.
Praising others is more helpful than praising ourselves
In another field experiment, researchers tested a fictional car wash Facebook ad.
The results in terms of CTR have been clear:
- 5.4% when the ad praised a competitor: Precision Car Wash congratulates LikeNew Car Wash. Our fiercest competitor and the Industry Best 2020 Award recipient!
- 3.3% when the company praised itself: Precision Car Wash is proud to receive the Industry Best 2020 Award
- 1.8% when the ad showed an external endorsement: The Industry Best 2020 Award committee is proud to announce Precision Car Wash as this year’s Best 2020 Award recipient
Positive comments about competitors, therefore, seem to benefit reputation and sales more than negative, sarcastic, or flippant ones.
However, there is a crucial "but": the effect only works when the praise is perceived as genuine, risky or somehow "costly" - otherwise it would be too easy!
In fact, the effect does not occur when the recipient is not a competitor who would get free visibility, but another kind of business or organization.
Furthermore, niceties towards rivals yield positive effects above all on two critical categories: skeptical consumers and for-profit companies (that are not traditionally seen as warm or caring).
How should the praised brand react?
What should the receiving brand do?Admiring competitors is fine, but with balance
Being kind is a smart move
So, publicly praising competitors every now and then, on social media or even in an ad, or encouraging them for a new project or initiative, can be a good move to convey a warmer, kinder, more authentic and friendly brand image.
A sensible tactic that seems to benefit the praiser brand even more than the praised one.
Sources
Academic research
- Befriending the Enemy: The Effects of Observing Brand-to-Brand Praise on Consumer Evaluations and Choices
- When political candidates “go positive”: the effects of flattering the rival in political communication
Web articles