Applebee’s Social Media Marketing Efforts Are Condescending

The marketing geniuses hired by Applebee’s really wants you ladies to get off of Facebook and Twitter, round up your best girlfriends and get your behinds down to your local Applebee’s for some “Life is Better Shared” fun. In fact, that’s the name of the chain restaurant’s attempt at social media marketing, one that comes as both condescending to the customers while giving the appearance that Applebee’s is trying entirely too hard to be hip and with it.

A description of the campaign tells you all you need to know:

Sometimes life is better shared off-line. A little more face time and a little less Facebook can do the soul some good. Come to reconnect. To share life. To talk without abbreviations (LOL). To actually laugh out loud. To say what ever you want without the fear of your mother-in-law reading your post. Most importantly to hang with your BFF’s, enjoy delicious food and tasty drinks.

It should be noted this marketing attempt is aimed directly at women, so for all you guys who want to get together with your “bros” and “watch the big game,” well, there’s always Buffalo Wild Wings.

To facilitate this “trying too hard” approach, Applebee’s went all out. The company they hired to put this campaign together, Cornett Integrated Marketing Solutions, has created a Tumblr account, a Twitter account, a YouTube page, and, according to LaughingSquid, “several Pinterest boards,” further indicating women are the only ones being marketed to with the “Life is better shared” efforts. The content of these accounts is about what you would expect from such a blatant attempt to act cool.

Some examples, including their very first tweet, which also happens to be the only tweet on the account. Oh, look. The trendy tweet was directed at another person who owes their success to being popular among the trend followers:

Maybe Applebee’s were hoping T Boone Pickens would respond. While that hasn’t happened as of this post, who knows? Perhaps Pickens will be just as amazed by the company’s social media marketing campaign, forcing him to buy them out in order to put a stop to this madness.

The fun continues with YouTube videos. The first two offerings are called “Tweet Beat” and “Pintastic.” I’ll let the LifeIsBetterShared Tumblr provide the descriptions, first, for the “Pintastic” video:

In episode 13 of Pintastic, social media guru Judy Green discusses the amazing new “gifts” tab on Pinterest. Judy also gives us the scoop on Applebee’s (disclaimer – a client) new social media campaign “Life Is Better Shared” to promote girls night out at Applebee’s. Enjoy and happy pinning girls!

Which is followed up with this particular disclaimer:

“Pin responsibly. Repin responsibly. Drink responsibly. Drive responsibly”

Sigh. As for the “Tweet Beat” video, the description is at least a little more honest:

In episode 78 of Tweet Beat, social media expert Helen Keeneland discusses the tweet timing. The best times to tweet on Twitter. Helen also gives us the scoop on Applebee’s (disclaimer – a client) new social media campaign “Life Is Better Shared” to promote girls night out at Applebee’s. To tweet or not to tweet. Enjoy and happy tweeting ladies!

I’m not sure what to make of all that “episode 78” and “episode 13,” but suffice to say, there aren’t 89 more videos for you to sit through. As for the videos that are available, make of them what you will:

If you don’t want to watch them, it’s understandable. The campaign uses these videos for fun, only to be interrupted midway through by “The Applebee’s Girls Night Out Goddess,” who also goes out of her way in an effort to be hip and “with it.” This is her:

“For seriously?”

So, ladies? How does it feel to be marketed to by Applebee’s? Can you pull yourselves away from Facebook or Pinterest long enough to even watch these? Or are you ready to get out there with your girls and share some photos of the good time you’re having at Applebee’s?