#WeAreANC Campaign Backfires
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) launched a social media campaign for its supporters… but in a typical ‘plot twist’, the campaign has backfired and been ‘hijacked’ by its detractors. It started with the ANC inviting supporters to tweet what #UnityInAction means to them, referring to the theme of the ANC’s 105th Anniversary which will […]
South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) launched a social media campaign for its supporters… but in a typical ‘plot twist’, the campaign has backfired and been ‘hijacked’ by its detractors.
It started with the ANC inviting supporters to tweet what #UnityInAction means to them, referring to the theme of the ANC’s 105th Anniversary which will be celebrated on 8 January 2017.
Tweeters responded and the hashtag has been trending at the top of the South African twitter charts since yesterday… but perhaps not for the reasons the ANC intended!
The tweet that launched a thousand retorts:
#UnityInAction Towards #ANC105 #WeAreANC pic.twitter.com/wbJnEfkYUQ
— African National Congress (@MYANC) January 2, 2017
The Response to #WeAreANC Hashtag Invitation:
#WeAreANC We lie. We cheat. We steal. We take collective responsibility.
— Nicholus (@Nicholus_20) January 2, 2017
#WeAreANC We are patriarchal. We are sexist.
We don't hold our Leaders to account for their poor actions & decisions that affect the poor.— Sam B (Sammy) #BlackLivesMatter (@BeynonSammy) January 2, 2017
Ask not what the ANC can do for you but what your tax money can do for ANC comrades. #WeAreANC
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) January 2, 2017
#WeAreANC. All our President does best is to dance with young girls and laugh at the same time. pic.twitter.com/4yV6Ci9y5k
— People First🇿🇦🌍 (@pakesdikgetsi) January 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/Bantubonke_/status/816207301073915904
The winning tweet so far in the #WeAreANC campaign, IMHO. https://t.co/3TJqRu2UlK
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) January 3, 2017
#WeAreANC and we think we are above the law pic.twitter.com/Jv8Y7ATVmj
— QvERR (@QVER_Newsday) January 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/MR_BOESAK_G/status/816190069610516480
No service delivery but we dab collectively #WeAreANC pic.twitter.com/w49a5BZK0I
— Namekian 🐲🐉 (@Dynamic1852) January 3, 2017
We belive that renaming streets and other infrastructure instead of actually maintaining them is service delivery! #WeAreANC
— Nkwali Ye Nkosi (@_Nkwali) January 2, 2017
#WeAreANC and we always lie to parliament pic.twitter.com/RhjsM7e4Gh
— Mbuyiseni Ndlozi (@MbuyiseniNdlozi) January 2, 2017
Some users summed up the response:
https://twitter.com/Zintle_Tunce/status/816190081014890496
https://twitter.com/Spiwo/status/816190620297478145
https://twitter.com/Pasco_e/status/816187463467233280
Another had some advice for the ANC next time:
#WeAreANC next time before embarking on a social media campaign, you should maybe contact branches for input as they are your foot soldiers
— Benji Seitlhamo 🇿🇦 (@BenjiSeitlhamo) January 3, 2017
One lonely supportive tweet reminded users:
Criticize all you want but your lives have improved one way or the other by this current regime #WeAreANC
— Olefile (@Olefile_10) January 3, 2017