Rivian Has Been Making Not Only Fun, But Informative Tweets (& Has Something Like Tesla’s Dog Mode Now)

Sometimes it seems like social media can be a big challenge for a company. Stay too serious and boring, and potential customers won’t be interested. Have too much fun on Twitter, and your brand will look clownish. Striking a balance where you’re having fun, getting good customer engagement, and getting your message out there, is the perfect trifecta, but it isn’t easy.

So, it makes sense to call out the companies that seem to be doing a good job of having fun with us while giving us good information. And, we think Rivian’s team has been doing a great job at that.

Our latest software update includes Pet Comfort, a feature designed to keep your Rivian cabin cool and comfortable even for the floofiest of travel companions. ☀️🌬🐶🐱 Learn more: https://t.co/OEyc06A4E7 pic.twitter.com/oyxZVzwjMF

— Rivian (@Rivian) June 30, 2022

Let’s start with this tweet from last month telling us about Pet Comfort. In case it isn’t obvious, this is Rivian’s equivalent to Tesla’s “Dog Mode.” Tesla’s Dog Mode is a feature that allows dog owners to leave their pets in the car while they run errands. The mode sets the cabin temperature to a comfortable level and plays calming music to keep the dog relaxed. It also displays a message on the car’s screen letting passersby know that the animal is safe and well-cared for.

Rivian could have told us all about the features, made an instructional video, or just given us shots of the center display (which is very similar to Tesla’s Dog Mode display). Instead, it did something it knows people social media enjoy: looking at pictures of pets. More importantly, we’re seeing pets who are cute, happy, and healthy (with the possible exception of the cat, but cats are usually afraid to be away from home, so we can’t fault Rivian for this).

Every new adventure begins with a single step. And sometimes also a giant wahoo. 🛻💛 pic.twitter.com/SmjgcFAEMA

— Rivian (@Rivian) June 29, 2022

Here’s another great example. Rivian trucks are great for adventure. They are big and have a lot of space to store things. They are also built to last and can handle any terrain. If you are looking for a truck that can take you on any adventure, then Rivian may be the way to go. But, saying that and showing us that are two different things.

Happy people, one person showing us how big the gear tunnel is, another shot of the Rivian with an amazing view out the window, and another action shot of the truck drifting in loose sand, all show us the story Rivian is trying to tell instead of just telling us the story. Any writing professor in college will tell you that’s the right move, and it works for photographs, too.

Once again, informative and fun, but not clownish.

While this all seems obvious for social media, let’s not forget that some companies have had disastrous experiences. In 2014, American Apparel was forced to delete a post after the company mistakenly used an image of the Space Shuttle Challenger for Independence Day in a distasteful way, for example.

It’s important to remember that social media is a public platform where anything you post can be seen by anyone. So, before you hit that “post” button, think about how your message might be interpreted and whether or not it could be offensive. But, don’t forget to make your posts fun, engaging, and informative, too. Rivian is a great example of getting this right.

Featured image by Rivian.