Brands
calling each other out in advertising is nothing new. The ’70s and ’80s
were chock full of side-by-side comparison ads–paper towels, cleaners,
tampons, you name it–the most famous being the Pepsi Challenge. It’s
often a quick, effective way for a smaller, challenger brand to outline
why we should consider its products over the leading brand in its
category. Even top brands get in on it from time to time, like Bud
Light’s Super Bowl swipe at Miller that’s turned into a full-on,
multimedia (and court) battle.
But social media kicked
the discourse between brands up a notch, forcing marketers to distill
their arguments down to snappy one-liners.
This week, two snack bar brands went at each other with a different social strategy—long-winded earnestness.
It all arguably started when Clif launched its first-ever TV ad:
Then Kind Snacks posted a new spot that directly calls out Clif Bar for its sugar content:
Clif Bar promptly responded on Facebook with this zinger:
“Hi! We just heard we’re in your ad! You left out, though, that Clif
Bars actually aren’t a snack like Kind Bars—they’re the ultimate energy
bars, crafted for sustained energy during physical activity. They’ve
fueled world-class athletes for 27 years. Plus, they’re made with
organic ingredients.”
Oh snaaaaaap!
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