Online activists vs. Kraft foods: A case of social media hijacking

• We provide examples of activist strategies adapted for the online environment.
• We demonstrate hoax as a viable, albeit potentially unethical, activist strategy.
• We demonstrate the negative effects of social media hijacking on reputation.
• We show how relationships with other activists are leveraged in a campaign.

This study examines a case in which activists used a corporation's social media page to disseminate activist campaign messages. Specifically, we examine how a blogger–activist took advantage of an online hoax regarding a warning label for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese to spur others into hijacking Kraft's Facebook page. While the hoax was quickly exposed, the reputation damage was done and within 6 months Kraft announced it was changing the ingredients in some products. This study offers several implications for online activists and public relations researchers and practitioners by (1) providing an example of how traditional activist strategies have adapted for the online environment; (2) presenting hoax as a viable, albeit potentially unethical, strategy to motivate action; (3) showing the impact of social media hijacking and dismissing the notion that “slacktivism” cannot lead to change; (4) encouraging further research on collaborative relationships between activist groups; and 5) outlining the benefits of more proactive issue management strategies.