Vodafone’s hashtag hash
Vodafone – the target of tax dodging claims in the UK – clearly needs to train its social media muscle. The mobile brand left itself wide open with its What Makes You Smile contest where it promised 12 days of Christmas smiles on Twitter with consumers sharing their seasonal joys on the platform, along with the Vodafone hashtag #mademesmile.
The result? A welter of anti-brand, tax-accusing #mademesmile tagged tweets. In fact, the hashtag was the UK’s top trend on Sunday as Vodafone seemingly failed to spot the online assault for hours before switching off the feed on its website leading to comments such as:
Paying my share of taxes to help fund the things my country needs. Being a patriot and a decent person #mademesmile
#mademesmile that friends are losing jobs because @vodafoneuk doesn’t pay their tax… er… It makes me cry actually
brand-e: Schoolboy error, Vodafone, schoolboy error…
