TORRANCE, CA: The Grinch couldn’t steal Christmas (spoiler alert), but he did manage to swipe Honda’s Twitter password.
The Grinch has locked Honda social media manager Jessica Fini out of the automaker’s Twitter account since Sunday and has been posting unhappy and unmerry holiday comments, featuring the hashtag #GrinchTakeover. The Grinch is also using Honda's Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and YouTube channels.
This morning, he even posted an image mocking Honda's social media manager.
When you’re the Honda social media manager and get locked out of your account. #CaseOfTheMondays #GrinchTakeover pic.twitter.com/3GwDAUB0FG
— The Grinch (@Honda) November 19, 2018
"That’s not me; it’s a stock photo," said Fini.
This is no longer Honda’s Twitter feed. It is MY Twitter feed. #GrinchTakeover pic.twitter.com/wM7tw7ahg9
— The Grinch (@Honda) November 19, 2018
Calm down, Happy Honda Days. No one is that happy. #UnHappyHondaDays #GrinchTakeover pic.twitter.com/Ujk8Kegv3Q
— The Grinch (@Honda) November 19, 2018
Fini said that 25 tweets were pre-planned, but the evil green creature is also responding to fans in real-time. The Grinch’s pre-planned tweets were written by staffers from creative agency RPA. In-house staff, RPA representatives, and employees from AWA Public Relations are deciding as a team how the Grinch will respond in real-time to tweets from fans.
"The Grinch’s fun, snarky personality lends itself very well to Twitter," said Fini. She added that Twitter is perfect for "banter, short copy, and funny visuals."
Honda’s Twitter page hacking was timed with the launch of a spot that debuted on Sunday.
The ad told the story of how, in partnership with Universal Pictures and Illumination's Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, Honda discovered that its Happy Honda Days event was stolen by the Grinch.
The goal of the Happy Honda Days tradition is to help consumers "re-live that childhood feeling of getting something they truly loved for the holidays by getting a great deal on a new Honda as an adult," the automaker said in a statement.
The campaign will also incorporate morning television. On Tuesday, Today hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb will see if the Grinch’s heart will grow three sizes and allow Happy Honda Days to become once again a joyful time of year.
"We are encouraging people to follow along to see what will happen -- if the Grinch will have a change of heart and return Happy Honda Days to happy or if it will stay unhappy indefinitely," Fini said.
