The 2020 Valentine’s day celebration otherwise known as lovers’ day held last week with a lot of banters and plump especially among the millennial. Smart brands with this class of target audience, of course, seized the opportunity to enter into online real-time conversation with its audience for bonding, Lacasera not being an exception.

Lacesera, a carbonated Soft drink and infact, pioneer in the apple drink genre compelled a voluntary conversation with its target market and did so beautifully with creative storytelling.

Lacasera through its creative agency, X3M Ideas unleashes a number of activities and corresponding materials to engage its consumers. One of such was its Valentine digital creative pieces titled “Dear G babe”, a replica of “Be my Val” invite, it outlines why a relationship between a certain “G” babe a supposed complimentary brand, is desirable.

Just as economics 101 suggests, complimentary goods could thrive better on partnerships and possibly co-branding, the message composed in an apple shape further reads:

“You are such a snack I’ve heard the whispers that we look good together. The perfect match that goes hand in hand. I must confess, I bubble on the inside whenever I see you, which is everytime, considering we are always together, come rain, come shine. We would be the cutest couple ever and be on everyone’s lips. So…here is me shooting my shot. Fancy being a couple”

This is the proposal. And it got leading sausage brand, UAC’s Gala into trouble with consumers! The creative mainly deployed on social media, twitter specifically has since became a nightmare docking the heels Gala and its handlers.

While Lacasera’s reference to “G” may insinuate Gala, the mode of presentation and usage allows for some form of defense. However, in a head-on fashion, Gala brand handlers in an unsolicited response through its handle @galasausage replying to @Lacasera_NG, announces, “Gala sausage Roll dissociates itself from this communication”.

Since this response, all hell has been let loose on Gala and its handlers no thanks to the hasty and uncivil response which most consumers found “uncouth” as it bungles a huge opportunity for the brand to inch up its way on the consumers’ ladder.

Some of the responses copied from twitter handles are published below @Rolland .E comments  “You should have done better by saying ” we accept ur proposal, so far u don’t get jealous when flirt with other combo drinks… Making u win on both sides”; @Mandomly writes “When did gala become G-babe? You can’t update your page since last year but you can respond to a tweet that don’t even mention your handle? Disassociating yourself when people already disassociated themselves from you” while @Nifemi alluding to Lacasera’s comments says “ This is not a smart response. Your PR team has a lot to learn”.

Sounding sarcastic, @Michael Ekenobi comment reads, “I here by dissociate myself from anything called gala… Oh wait, this sounds familiar, I’ve done that already… 5 years ago. RIP gala” while @TomiNigeria pointed out “Lacasera handed you a primed canvas to paint on but you form hard girl despite your open secret relationship. O ga lara e o Miss Gala”.

@Zingy B.A noted, “The Gala handler is just a thrash. If this is hate. Gala should be buried. Apologies is expected from Gala team. It’s a friendly approach from Lacasera”; just as @Frank Okaibe advises that “Whoever is in charge of this @galasausage  handle needs to take a professional course in PR. Such a douche and absolute killjoy. Who still eats Gala anyways? With the lean stew wrapped with loaf of bread they package for consumers”.

This year, we don't want to spend #ValentinesDay alone. So this is us shooting our shot. Can you guess who G-BAbe is? 😉#LaCasera #LagosTraffic #ILoveThisDrink #Feb14 pic.twitter.com/2VL2xSLcst

— LaCasera_NG (@LaCasera_NG) February 14, 2020

This is not a smart response. Your PR team has a lot to learn.

— Nifemi. (@nifemigagar) February 15, 2020

Let someone hire an economics teacher for him to learn difference between alternative goods and complementary goods

— Oluwasegun Tosin (@shigoubouncing) February 17, 2020

Why so uptight? Move with the tide people! Whoever is handling your communication needs to loosen up.

— Ikechukwu (@Aii_Kae) February 16, 2020

These and more comments depict a shifting of power to consumers. Social media online real-time clout makes consumer power a lot more potent and its effects could be debilitating if not carefully harnessed. This suggests Knee-jerk and unplanned responses on social media could lead to more damaging revelations about a brand as the consumers are wont to vent their displeasures or anger.

A brand playing on social media should have a proactive strategy in place, warned Sunday Oguniyi, a media analyst and Mass Communication lecturer.

Imagine @Gala Sausage Roll had called @Lacasera_NG or Lacasera agency for a possible synergy arising from this valentine campaign, the result would have been a most successful and exemplary campaign that could set an industry standard. Collaborations and building synergies are the way forward for brands and businesses.