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A hot hashtag is a clarion call for social media managers — one barely gains traction before brands glom onto it, for better or worse.
That’s exactly what happened when Twitter started a #GIFparty Wednesday night to promote a new feature, which lets people add GIFs to any tweet. By Thursday, the party was out of hand: The hashtag#GIFparty has been used over 80,000 times, according to social analytics firm Brandwatch.
Drop your plans for today, we’re celebrating GIFs on Twitter! Tap the GIF button to join the #GIFparty. pic.twitter.com/5gTEeB1uWH
— Twitter (@twitter) March 3, 2016
Ellen DeGeneres, Domino’s, Denny’s and Coca-Cola were just a few that shared their favorite GIFs with the #GIFparty hashtag. Here’s the good, bad and the ugly.
The Good
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen was so blown away with Twitter’s latest feature she did a spit-take. And given that her tweet netted over 1,700 retweets and 9,000 likes, so were her fans.
Trying out my new GIF keyboard on Twitter like… #GIFPartypic.twitter.com/6sPffjSqRd — Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2016
Game of Thrones
The HBO series’ sixth season bows next month, and its fans are clearly in party mode. Who better than Tyrion Lannister to toast occasion?
*CLINK*
Raise a glass. #GIFparty #GameofThrones pic.twitter.com/QzyUjUVHJpAd rendering preventing in staging
Ad position: web_incontent_pos1— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) March 3, 2016
GoPro
Everyone knows that cats and dogs make the best GIFs. GoPro upped the ante with a daredevil cat skateboarding toward three befuddled dogs.
#TBT with Didga the skateboarding cat from Australia! #GIFparty pic.twitter.com/WTUz64vi53
— GoPro (@GoPro) March 3, 2016
Axe
If you’re going to show up late to a party, do it in style: With backflips and sweet dance moves.
We’re showing up fashionably late to the #GIFparty. And we’re bringing the heels. #FindYourMagic pic.twitter.com/ic1BiAv4r4 — AXE (@AXE) March 4, 2016
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The Bad
PayPal
What do cats have to do with mobile payments? Nothing! Bonus points for making this horrible GIF is seizure-inducing to boot.
Here’s a cat having a ton of fun with a phone and some #NewMoney. Because #GIFparty. pic.twitter.com/VraVKzLSQp
— PayPal (@PayPal) March 3, 2016
Denny’s
If Denny’s isn’t on the latest viral hashtag, something is really wrong with the world. Calm down, Denny’s, four posts for the #GIFparty are a tad much, even for you.
#gifparty pic.twitter.com/ygLNsHGwkF — Denny’s (@DennysDiner) March 4, 2016
Domino’s
This fractal pizza is making us nauseous, not hungry.
You’re getting hunnngrryyy, verrrry hungrrryyy. #GIFParty pic.twitter.com/5AvafXad9a
— Domino’s Pizza (@dominos) March 3, 2016
The Ugly
Cambria Quartz
We feel you, Cambria. It’s hard to keep up with Internet hashtags and parties. But we’re not quite sure why a countertop company is talking about coffee.
When you need another cup of coffee to keep up with the #GIFparty. pic.twitter.com/iRhmPTFRl1 — Cambria (@CambriaQuartz) March 3, 2016
Coca-Cola
That’s a lot of enthusiasm for a fake party, Coke. Not everything qualifies as an opportunity to “open happiness.”
Got your invite to the #GIFParty, @Twitter, we’re super excited. Can we bring the drinks? pic.twitter.com/vRIFph1V3E
— Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) March 3, 2016
Yoplait
Not even sure if this is an actual GIF, or a high schooler’s graphic design project.
Chocolate. Some days we need all we can get :) #GIFparty pic.twitter.com/jmq8u23Xbb — Yoplait Yogurt (@Yoplait) March 3, 2016
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