Mention a rival—not just any competitor—to boost engagement and purchase intentions.

As part of a series of 3 experiments and an analysis of over 1.2 million tweets from 100 brands across 20 categories, researchers found that:

• Tweets that referenced a rival brand received on average 196.7% more likes.
• The effect is stronger amongst loyal customers, as well as when the rivalry is strong and when social media posts are slightly critical or mocking.
• The effect disappears if the brand is not a rival, but just a regular competitor.

How to implement it:

1. Identify if any competitors are true rivals by considering customer perceptions, frequency of competition, history, and brand distinctiveness. Focus on direct rivals in your campaigns.
2. If you have a genuine rival, use playful comparisons to highlight your strengths. Tailor your tone—positive, neutral, or slightly competitive—based on the intensity of the rivalry and your audience’s preferences.
3. Playful jabs can boost customer engagement, but avoid negativity, as it can harm your brand. For loyal customers (e.g., in forums or email campaigns), a competitive tone is fine; for broader audiences, keep it friendly.
4. Use this approach in social media, ads, and marketing materials to strengthen your brand’s appeal, especially to loyal followers.

Find out the psych behind why this tactic works at Science Says.

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Speaking of rivals, Supercuts is clapping back at critics in a petty new campaign.

The problem with being the budget option in your category is that some consumers will clown you for being too cheap. And that’s fine. Those are not your people.

But your people still have to read #meantweets about a brand they identify with, and that doesn’t feel so good.

So, Supercuts is giving its thrifty fans something to laugh about by issuing a Real Dumb Coupon, which adds $50 the price of a haircut, so that it’s expensive enough for the snobs to take seriously.

The campaign video is fresh and cutting, ahem, and the landing page is full of snarky little Easter eggs.