Southern is asking passengers to complain about RMT strikes and they’re not happy about it
The reaction to a large advertising campaign Southern Rail took out today suggests it may well have misjudged its audience.
The snappily named “Let’s strike back” campaign implored passengers to tweet the RMT union and tell it how rail strikes made them feel. It also suggested a hashtag for users to get involved with: #SouthernBackonTrack.
Time to get back on track. Tweet @RMTunion & tell them how rail strikes make you feel. https://t.co/IVaRAGBBSV #SouthernBackOnTrack pic.twitter.com/lpBcXs9K5f
— Southern (@SouthernRailUK) October 3, 2016
Twitter users duly used the hashtag and got it trending, but not quite for the purposes Southern had envisaged.
Read more: #SouthernBackOnTrack: Govia offers conductors £2,000 to avoid more strikes
Some did reach out to RMT…
Hey @RMTunion, #SouthernBackOnTrack suggests I tweet to let you know how I feel. Well, I'm a fan, so keep up the good work!
— Ben XO (@benxo) October 3, 2016
While another popular suggestion to get #SouthernBackOnTrack involved a different plan altogether:
Let's get #SouthernBackOnTrack and take the franchise away from @SouthernRailUK . Well done @RMTunion I support you.
— @Luke@social.sdfeu.org (@Luke1972) October 3, 2016
Others took the campaign much more seriously:
https://twitter.com/SimonXIX/status/782873179652063232
… and took the chance to air some grievances – quite a lot of them in fact:
https://twitter.com/Mr_Ogrizovic/status/782842109950828544
https://twitter.com/Mr_Ogrizovic/status/782841488292151296
What the majority of Twitter users did agree on was that the campaign was a huge PR fail:
What a PR disaster!! Pity you didn't concentrate on running an efficient service rather than undermining your staff #SouthernBackOnTrack
— Martin O'Neill (@DrNostromo) October 3, 2016
https://twitter.com/Chris_Webb1/status/782876160678043648
One user spared a thought for the poor souls manning Southern’s social accounts:
https://twitter.com/Peter_Lote/status/782878343188414464
While one Twitter user simply pointed out the force wasn’t strong with Southern today:
Increasingly combative PR strategy by @SouthernRailUK around strikes – Star Wars vibes to today's ad. #SouthernStrike #SouthernBackOnTrack pic.twitter.com/rJO6eaMtlN
— Kit Bradshaw (@kitbradshaw) October 3, 2016