Ryanair, a budget airline, has gained popularity on TikTok for its viral burns and sarcastic clapbacks towards its passengers and its own reputation. Despite the unconventional approach of being rude and obnoxious to customers, Ryanair has amassed 2.1 million followers on TikTok, surpassing other major airlines. Michael Corcoran, the former head of Ryanair’s social media, played a significant role in turning the airline into an online star. The team was given a lot of freedom to post what they liked, which was in line with the company’s history of disruptive and provocative marketing. While some people found the humor offensive, it helped lower passengers’ expectations of budget travel.
Ryanair is known for its additional fees and charges, and it embraces this reputation on social media. The airline leans into the ongoing gag of whether passengers will eventually be charged to use the toilet. Although some people found it funny, others thought it was rude and obnoxious. However, the humor allowed Ryanair’s online fans to defend the airline against complaints, shifting the perception of the company as the “bad guy.” Ryanair’s social media accounts tend to avoid discussing socially responsible topics, such as the aviation industry’s environmental impact. Michael Corcoran believes that TikTok is not the right platform for an airline to address these issues, as it may come across as “greenwashing.”
Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez from Henley Business School believes that transparency is crucial, and companies should not shy away from discussing sustainability on social media. Younger generations care about these issues and want organizations to take action. While humor can engage customers, it may make it challenging to respond to serious criticisms on social media. If Ryanair were accused of sustainability-related issues, their humorous posts could backfire. Ultimately, it is important for companies to find the right balance between humor and addressing important topics on social media.
Original news source: Ryanair: How a budget airline took off on TikTok (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Reporter Role-play
Instructions: Students pair up and take on the roles of a news reporter and a Ryanair spokesperson. The reporter interviews the spokesperson about the airline’s social media strategy, including their approach to humor, controversy, and avoidance of socially responsible topics. The spokesperson must defend and explain the company’s stance using language and information from the article.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as “Companies should always maintain a serious tone on social media” or “It’s acceptable for businesses to ignore serious issues like sustainability in favor of humor.” Students walk around the classroom and poll their classmates, recording whether they agree or disagree. After the poll, discuss the results as a class and relate opinions back to Ryanair’s social media approach.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide students into small groups. Assign each group a different aspect of the Ryanair article (e.g., viral marketing, customer expectation, sustainability, etc.). Students create a quick sketch or visual representation of their assigned topic without writing any words. The rest of the class must guess what aspect of the article is being depicted.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Have students work in small groups to discuss and predict the future implications of Ryanair’s social media strategy. They should consider both the potential positive outcomes and the negative repercussions mentioned in the article. Each group presents their predictions to the class, explaining the reasons behind them using vocabulary and concepts from the article.
– Synonym Challenge
Instructions: Write down key terms from the article (e.g., disruptive, provocative, transparency, sustainability, offensive, obnoxious). Students work in pairs or small groups to come up with as many synonyms as possible for each term. Discuss as a class how the choice of synonyms could alter the tone or perception of the airline’s social media content.
Comprehension Questions:
1. How has Ryanair gained popularity on TikTok?
2. How many followers does Ryanair have on TikTok, and how does this compare to other major airlines?
3. Who was responsible for turning Ryanair into an online star, and what was his role?
4. What kind of marketing history does Ryanair have, and how does this relate to their social media strategy?
5. What aspect of Ryanair’s service is often the subject of jokes on their social media?
6. How do Ryanair’s online fans use the company’s humor to respond to complaints?
7. Why does Michael Corcoran think TikTok is not the right platform for discussing the aviation industry’s environmental impact?
8. What does Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believe is crucial for companies when using social media, and why might this be challenging for Ryanair?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Ryanair, a budget airline, has gained (1)______ on TikTok for its viral burns and sarcastic clapbacks towards its passengers and its own reputation. Despite the unconventional approach of being rude and obnoxious to (2)______, Ryanair has amassed 2.1 million followers on TikTok, surpassing (3)______ major airlines. Michael Corcoran, the former head of Ryanair’s social media, played a significant role in turning the airline into an online star. The team was given a lot of (4)______ to post what they liked, which was in line with the company’s history of disruptive and provocative marketing. While some (5)______ found the humor (6)______, it helped lower passengers’ expectations of budget travel.
Ryanair is known for its additional fees and charges, and it embraces this reputation on social media. The airline (7)______ into the ongoing gag of whether passengers will eventually be charged to use the toilet. Although some people found it funny, others thought it was rude and (8)______. However, the humor allowed Ryanair’s online fans to defend the airline against (9)______, shifting the perception of the company as the “bad guy.” Ryanair’s social media accounts tend to (10)______ discussing socially responsible (11)______, such as the aviation industry’s environmental impact. Michael Corcoran believes that TikTok is not the right platform for an airline to address these issues, as it may come across as “greenwashing.”
Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez from (12)______ Business School believes that transparency is crucial, and companies should not shy away from discussing sustainability on social media. Younger generations care about these issues and want organizations to take action. While humor can engage customers, it may make it (13)______ to respond to (14)______ criticisms on social media. If Ryanair were accused of sustainability-related issues, their humorous (15)______ could backfire. Ultimately, it is (16)______ for companies to find the right balance between humor and addressing important topics on social media.
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. What is your opinion on companies using humor in their social media marketing strategies? Why?
2. How would you feel if an airline you were flying with made jokes about its own shortcomings?
3. Do you like the idea of businesses being self-deprecating and sarcastic on social media? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s appropriate for companies to make light of customer complaints in a public forum?
5. Have you ever followed a brand on social media because of their entertaining content? What attracted you to them?
6. What is your stance on the importance of addressing environmental issues on social media platforms like TikTok?
7. How would you react if a brand ignored serious topics such as sustainability in favor of humorous content?
8. Do you think that a humorous social media presence can help a company defend against criticism? Why or why not?
9. What is your definition of “greenwashing,” and how do you feel about companies that might engage in this practice?
10. How do you feel about companies charging additional fees, and do you think making jokes about it on social media is a good strategy?
11. Do you think there’s a risk that Ryanair’s humorous approach could backfire if faced with serious accusations? Why?
12. What is the role of transparency for businesses on social media, and do you think humor can interfere with it?
13. How important is it for you that companies take a stance on social issues? Does it affect your purchasing decisions?
14. Do you think that brands should tailor their social media content to different platforms based on the audience and nature of the platform?
15. Have you ever experienced a situation where a company’s online humor influenced your perception of their customer service? Can you describe the experience?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. Ryanair
2. TikTok
3. viral
4. burns
5. reputation
6. fees
7. humor
8. sustainability
Meanings:
(a) A budget airline known for its additional charges
(b) Something that spreads quickly and widely on the internet
(c) The ability to be maintained or continued over time
(d) A popular social media platform for short videos
(e) Additional costs or charges for a service
(f) The quality of being funny or amusing
(g) Insulting or critical comments made towards someone
(h) The way in which someone or something is generally regarded
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What social media platform has Ryanair gained popularity on?
(a) Instagram
(b) Twitter
(c) Facebook
(d) TikTok
2. How many followers has Ryanair amassed on TikTok?
(a) 1 million
(b) 2.1 million
(c) 500,000
(d) 10,000
3. Who played a significant role in turning Ryanair into an online star?
(a) Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez
(b) The CEO of Ryanair
(c) Michael Corcoran
(d) A social media influencer
4. What is Ryanair’s reputation regarding additional fees and charges?
(a) Known for them
(b) No additional fees
(c) Offers discounts on fees
(d) Charges for some services but not others
5. What ongoing gag does Ryanair embrace on social media?
(a) Charging passengers for carry-on bags
(b) Charging passengers to use the toilet
(c) Charging passengers for in-flight meals
(d) Charging passengers for seat selection
6. What does Michael Corcoran believe about addressing sustainability on TikTok?
(a) It is crucial for companies to discuss
(b) It is the right platform for an airline to address these issues
(c) It is not important for an airline to address these issues
(d) It may come across as “greenwashing”
7. What does Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believe about discussing sustainability on social media?
(a) Companies should avoid it
(b) Younger generations don’t care about these issues
(c) Companies should not shy away from it
(d) Humor is the most important aspect of social media
8. What is the importance of finding the right balance between humor and addressing important topics on social media?
(a) It allows companies to engage customers while addressing important issues
(b) It can make it challenging to respond to serious criticisms
(c) It helps companies avoid any negative backlash
(d) It is not important to find a balance, humor should always be the priority
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Ryanair’s online fans defend the airline against complaints, shifting the perception of the company as the “bad guy.”
2. Ryanair has gained popularity on TikTok for its viral burns and sarcastic clapbacks towards its passengers and reputation.
3. Michael Corcoran, the former head of Ryanair’s social media, had minimal influence in making the airline popular online.
4. Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believes that companies should not shy away from discussing sustainability on social media.
5. Ryanair’s social media accounts frequently discuss socially responsible topics, including the aviation industry’s environmental impact.
6. Ryanair embraces its reputation for additional fees and charges on social media.
7. The team at Ryanair’s social media was heavily restricted in what they could post, in contrast to the company’s history of conservative and conventional marketing.
8. Ryanair has a meager 2.1 million followers on TikTok, lagging behind other major airlines.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. How has Ryanair’s social media strategy differed from that of other major airlines on TikTok?
2. What role did Michael Corcoran play in Ryanair’s social media success?
3. Why might Ryanair’s humorous approach to additional fees and charges be considered controversial?
4. What is Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez’s stance on discussing sustainability on social media, and how does it contrast with Michael Corcoran’s view?
5. What potential risks could Ryanair face by using humor on social media when it comes to serious criticisms, such as sustainability issues?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. How has Ryanair gained popularity on TikTok?
Ryanair has gained popularity on TikTok for its viral burns and sarcastic clapbacks towards its passengers and its own reputation.
2. How many followers does Ryanair have on TikTok, and how does this compare to other major airlines?
Ryanair has amassed 2.1 million followers on TikTok, surpassing other major airlines.
3. Who was responsible for turning Ryanair into an online star, and what was his role?
Michael Corcoran, the former head of Ryanair’s social media, was responsible for turning the airline into an online star. He played a significant role and was given a lot of freedom to post content.
4. What kind of marketing history does Ryanair have, and how does this relate to their social media strategy?
Ryanair has a history of disruptive and provocative marketing, which relates to their social media strategy of being rude and obnoxious to customers in a humorous way.
5. What aspect of Ryanair’s service is often the subject of jokes on their social media?
The additional fees and charges that Ryanair is known for are often the subject of jokes on their social media, including the ongoing gag about whether passengers will be charged to use the toilet.
6. How do Ryanair’s online fans use the company’s humor to respond to complaints?
Ryanair’s online fans use the company’s humor to defend the airline against complaints, shifting the perception of the company from being the “bad guy.”
7. Why does Michael Corcoran think TikTok is not the right platform for discussing the aviation industry’s environmental impact?
Michael Corcoran believes that TikTok is not the right platform for an airline to address the aviation industry’s environmental impact because it may come across as “greenwashing.”
8. What does Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believe is crucial for companies when using social media, and why might this be challenging for Ryanair?
Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believes that transparency is crucial for companies when using social media. This may be challenging for Ryanair because while humor can engage customers, it might make it difficult to respond to serious criticisms, such as sustainability-related issues, on social media.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
(1) popularity
(2) customers
(3) other
(4) freedom
(5) people
(6) offensive
(7) leans
(8) obnoxious
(9) complaints
(10) avoid
(11) topics
(12) Henley
(13) challenging
(14) serious
(15) posts
(16) important
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. Ryanair
Answer: (a) A budget airline known for its additional charges
2. TikTok
Answer: (d) A popular social media platform for short videos
3. viral
Answer: (b) Something that spreads quickly and widely on the internet
4. burns
Answer: (g) Insulting or critical comments made towards someone
5. reputation
Answer: (h) The way in which someone or something is generally regarded
6. fees
Answer: (e) Additional costs or charges for a service
7. humor
Answer: (f) The quality of being funny or amusing
8. sustainability
Answer: (c) The ability to be maintained or continued over time
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What social media platform has Ryanair gained popularity on?
Answer: (d) TikTok
2. How many followers has Ryanair amassed on TikTok?
Answer: (b) 2.1 million
3. Who played a significant role in turning Ryanair into an online star?
Answer: (c) Michael Corcoran
4. What is Ryanair’s reputation regarding additional fees and charges?
Answer: (a) Known for them
5. What ongoing gag does Ryanair embrace on social media?
Answer: (b) Charging passengers to use the toilet
6. What does Michael Corcoran believe about addressing sustainability on TikTok?
Answer: (d) It may come across as “greenwashing”
7. What does Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believe about discussing sustainability on social media?
Answer: (c) Companies should not shy away from it
8. What is the importance of finding the right balance between humor and addressing important topics on social media?
Answer: (a) It allows companies to engage customers while addressing important issues
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Ryanair’s online fans defend the airline against complaints, shifting the perception of the company as the “bad guy.” (Answer: True)
2. Ryanair has gained popularity on TikTok for its viral burns and sarcastic clapbacks towards its passengers and reputation. (Answer: True)
3. Michael Corcoran, the former head of Ryanair’s social media, had minimal influence in making the airline popular online. (Answer: False)
4. Dr. Irene Garnelo-Gomez believes that companies should not shy away from discussing sustainability on social media. (Answer: True)
5. Ryanair’s social media accounts frequently discuss socially responsible topics, including the aviation industry’s environmental impact. (Answer: False)
6. Ryanair embraces its reputation for additional fees and charges on social media. (Answer: True)
7. The team at Ryanair’s social media was heavily restricted in what they could post, in contrast to the company’s history of conservative and conventional marketing. (Answer: False)
8. Ryanair has a meager 2.1 million followers on TikTok, lagging behind other major airlines. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧
