It’s been exactly a week since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus hit the streets. And the phones are still making headlines, though for perhaps the wrong reasons. Twitter flipped out when it was discovered the slim new devices came with a brand new problem: they’re a tad too flexible. Turns out, there is a bend in the thinner.
A video of a user literally bending the new iPhone went viral, introducing the hashtags #Bendgate and (our favorite) #Bendghazi into the wild. Of course people aren’t allowed to have any fun without brands nosing in with their own jokes. And while some aced it, other brands should have probably stayed away.
Here, then, are the best and worst brand reactions to #Bendghazi.
Best
Samsung
This is the clear winner. It came out quickly and with a few deft strokes shows the iPhone 6 effectively kowtowing to the Galaxy Note 3. Check and mate. (Updated to add: It’s been brought to our attention that this is not an official Samsung ad, but a fan-made masterpiece. And here we thought we could trust everything we read on the Internet!)
Samsung, again
Curved. Not bent. #GALAXYNoteEdgepic.twitter.com/OTPIYlI07f
— Samsung Mobile (@SamsungMobile) September 25, 2014
And the iPhone vs. Android battle rages on, with the phone’s biggest competitor Samsung not hesitating to take a smart dig at Apple.
Nokia
We think we see what you tried to do there, Nokia. A dose of nostalgia, referring back to the days when phones were as sturdy as bricks. For some reason the tweet was later removed.
Kit Kat
We don’t bend, we #break. #bendgate #iPhone6plus pic.twitter.com/uippCg4kCi
— KITKAT (@KITKAT) September 24, 2014
Cute, timely and on-brand, Kit Kat. Still, we’re not sure anyone wants their phones to actually break, though.
Heineken
Dear Apple… #BendGatepic.twitter.com/XJ8zVEUog9 — Heineken NL (@Heineken_NL) September 25, 2014
Always nice to see a bit of brand solidarity. We like it, Heineken.
Pringles
Bends rule! #bendgate#hyperbolicparabaloidpic.twitter.com/AlreYLQ6D1 — Pringles (@Pringles) September 25, 2014
OK, Pringles, you nailed it. Too bad your chips still taste about as good as the iPhone 6, though.
ASUS
The clear choice is the one that stands out. #ZenFone#BendGatepic.twitter.com/KxgKj4rW9N
— ASUS (@ASUS) September 26, 2014
Not the most creative, but “iBend” is still a pretty good zinger.
Coca Cola
We’ve only ever had curves in all the right places #bendgatepic.twitter.com/D7MD81VZli
— Coca-Cola GB (@CocaCola_GB) September 25, 2014
Nostalgia, as Coke is well aware, sells about as reliably as humor. This tweet has both.
Worst
LG
Our phone doesn’t bend, it flexes…on purpose. #bendgatepic.twitter.com/d1DudxDQgf — LG USA Mobile (@LGUSAMobile) September 24, 2014
Nice try there, buddy. But it probably would have worked better if you hadn’t tweeted that out using the same very phone you were trying to take a jab at.
Whataburger
WARNING: Whataburger WILL bend if left in your pocket. #bendgatepic.twitter.com/wXcUpfVFoS — Whataburger® (@Whataburger) September 24, 2014
What is that, Whataburger? Have you completely given up?
Ford
Not all bends are bad … https://t.co/v2vvTjcmIa#bendgate ^RW pic.twitter.com/ymmK4Kf5Zu — Ford in Europe (@FordEu) September 25, 2014
Nice stock photo, Ford. Did you not have any images of your cars on hand?
More in Marketing
Why angel investor Matthew Ball still believes in the metaverse
Matthew Ball’s 2022 book “The Metaverse: And How It Will Revolutionize Everything” was a national bestseller in the U.S. and U.K. On July 23, he plans to publish the second edition of the book.
Marketing Briefing: Why sustainability is ‘not a priority’ for marketers right now
Anecdotally, there have been noticeably fewer requests from marketers on ways to market sustainability efforts in recent months, according to agency execs, who say that requests had been commonplace in the late 2010s and early 2020s.
‘We’re watching the war’: Tubi hits growth spurt, but isn’t part of the streaming wars, CMO Nicole Parlapiano says
On the latest episode of the Digiday Podcast, Tubi CMO Nicole Parlapiano shares her perspective on the so-called streaming wars, pitching Tubi’s multicultural viewers and the streaming platform’s growth track.