📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

Was Hostess' Bizarre #OpeningDay Tweet an Epic Fail or Savvy Social Media Marketing? Though the Twitterverse initially reeled at the post, Hostess insists it's having the last laugh.

By Geoff Weiss

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Snack-cake maker Hostess is either earnestly enthused about baseball's Opening Day or couldn't care less.

Yesterday, the company behind Twinkies, Ho Hos and Ding Dongs fired off a photo tweet of two vanilla cupcakes decorated like baseballs with a caption reading "Touchdown."

A baffled Twitterverse reeled at the misstep. "Pssssst, @Hostess_Snacks," Sports Illustrated tweeted, "we think you might be mixing up your sports."

Related: How to Rock Social Media Like Gary Vaynerchuk

But even if Hostess had indeed fumbled, the company opted to play up the post with a knowing wink. "WHAT?!" the company wrote back. "We're just excited that Sportsball started again today." To the social media-savvy Denny's, who was loling at the exchange, Hostess wrote, "We can't wait to watch the teams do the thing and win the points!"

A Hostess spokesperson insisted that the tweet was intentional from the get-go, leading AdWeek to call the viral ploy on #OpeningDay "a genius move." Hostess' senior director of marketing, Ellen Copaken, explained to CNBC that "The 'Touchdown' line was intentional; it's fun and aimed at young audiences who are in on the running joke -- which, of course, is the goalllll."

Copaken added that the tweet was part of a two-year-old marketing campaign entitled "The Sweetest Comeback in the History of Ever.' The campaign, which aims to contemporize the Hostess brand, kicked off in July 2013 after the company filed for bankruptcy and was forced to temporarily discontinue Twinkie production -- until Hostess was resurrected by private equity firms several months later.

Related: Why Denny's Sounds Like a Chill Teenager on Social Media

Geoff Weiss

Former Staff Writer

Geoff Weiss is a former staff writer at Entrepreneur.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Social Media

How To Start a Youtube Channel: Step-by-Step Guide

YouTube can be a valuable way to grow your audience. If you're ready to create content, read more about starting a business YouTube Channel.

Science & Technology

Brand New GPT-4o Revealed: 3 Mind Blowing Updates and 3 Unexpected Challenges for Entrepreneurs

Unveiling OpenAI's GPT-4.0: The latest AI with vision, auditory, and emotional intelligence abilities is revolutionizing industries. How will it affect your business?

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Leadership

You're Reading Body Language All Wrong — And It's Putting Your Next Business Deal On The Line. Decode Non-Verbal Cues By Following These 5 Steps.

In the intricate dance of business meeting negotiations, the nuances of communication become the fulcrum on which decisions balance. For the astute entrepreneur, understanding body language is not just a skill; it's an imperative. However, relying solely on isolated gestures can be deceptive. To truly harness the power of non-verbal cues, one must grasp the concept of "clusters."

Business News

The Music Giant Behind Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Adele Bars ChatGPT From Using Its Songs

The world's largest music publisher sent letters to more than 700 companies demanding information about how its artists' songs were used.

Side Hustle

These Coworkers-Turned-Friends Started a Side Hustle on Amazon — Now It's a 'Full Hustle' Earning Over $20 Million a Year: 'Jump in With Both Feet'

Achal Patel and Russell Gong met at a large consulting firm and "bonded over a shared vision to create a mission-led company."