Thread by @admediainsider

Has the latest #Swiggy controversy reminded brands that it is okay to have a political opinion?

Experts shared with us the ideal ways of dealing with online trolls.

Read: adinsider.in/7WcpdAHA

@LloydMathias @beastoftraal @harishbijoor

By @karunasharmaa

Yet another brand has found itself in the crosshairs of a boycott trend on social media.

Food delivery app #Swiggy’s response to a tweet from a parody #NirmalaSitharaman account around the ongoing farmers’ protest was the talk of the town on December 01.

The conversation soon snowballed and erupted into a controversy leading to #BoycottSwiggy trending on Twitter.

Swiggy responded to this tweet with the wit and humour it is known for, saying, “sorry, we can’t refund education.”

In the last few months as people have had more time to kill, many brands, actors and celebrities have been boycotted online.

However, they have either chosen silence or deleted their campaigns and opinionated tweets to stay away from controversies.

We were surprised to see Swiggy take the higher ground and firmly stand true to its opinion. At the time of filing this story, Swiggy’s tweet hasn’t been retracted yet and has over 32k likes.

Some were quick to jump in to ask for another boycott for ‘calling Hindus uneducated,’ some were thrilled to see a brand take a stand and some just advised the brand to stay away from such controversies.

“When brands joined social media and started behaving like media, they started having a voice and an opinion. So, it's a bit too late to ask the question if brands should have a voice or an opinion.": @beastoftraal, Social Media Expert and Independent Communications Consultant

A CMO and advertising agency’s core job is to keep building an image through advertisements that speaks to their consumers heart-to-heart. So, can a message be ever delivered sans emotions and appeal to a large set of audience?

Speaking on whether brands should have a political opinion, @LloydMathias, Business Strategist and Former Asia Marketing Head of HP Inc said, “Brands should be more circumspect but not shy away from doing what is right for their brands."

GenZ is increasingly becoming more aware of how advertising works and is able to separate grey from black. They view brands as a form of self-expression and to connect with them, brands are also expected to go beyond just selling their products.