It’s always good to open up about your feelings. As the years progress, talking about mental health struggles have made those suffering realize that they’re not alone, and there’s plenty of people around to lend support. But when a brand does it, feelings get mixed. While there’s a real, live person with legitimate emotions behind a brand’s social media account, it can be tough not to wonder whether or not the tweet is just a way to gain media attention.
The account in question belongs to SunnyD, otherwise known as the drink of our childhood. Way better than “the purple stuff,” SunnyD has an active presence on social media. One tweet, which went out on February 3rd at 6:24 p.m., lead to a lot of worries. Simply put, it was vague and very dark.
While many fans responded with messages and GIFs of support, other people felt like there was a bit more to it. For one, SunnyD knew that the message would likely go viral, and perhaps drive sales. But, maybe it was meant to go on another account. Or, perhaps there’s something going on behind-the-scenes with the beverage that the world is unaware of.
Can you imagine how heart-dropping it must have been to see this tweet on your feed?
I can’t do this anymore
— SUNNYD (@sunnydelight) February 4, 2019
One of the sweetest responses back was from Moon Pie. You probably never thought that SunnyD and Moon Pie would be a winning combo, but it seems like they have a decent enough friendship.
What’s going on sunny
— MoonPie (@MoonPie) February 4, 2019
SunnyD admitted that they were in a mood. They seemed appreciative of “MP” for checking in.
Mood last night. All good MP thanks for checking in ily
— SUNNYD (@sunnydelight) February 4, 2019
PopTarts also made sure to check in. Seems like they also have a great relationship with SunnyD.
Hey sunny can I please offer you a hug we are gonna get through this together my friend
— Pop-Tarts (@PopTartsUS) February 4, 2019
Other responses that SunnyD got included puppy GIFs. Also, plenty of good wishes from fans.
— orophia (@orophia) February 4, 2019
When someone openly asked SunnyD what was wrong, the account admitted that it was “so much.” We’ve all been there before, which makes the tweet thread more upsetting.
So much rn
— SUNNYD (@sunnydelight) February 4, 2019
But, not everyone was into it. Some people came out with some harsh words for the brand, in the chance that they were doing this for the wrong reason.
Bro who is running these accounts
— Geoffrey (@geoffrey_t_) February 4, 2019
It’s nice to know that the brand has so much support, and so many people willing to lend a hand. But at the same time, it could be seen as insulting to those who really do feel the need to use social media to try and reach out to someone.
— Chuck E. (@EmDashPython) February 4, 2019
And since SunnyD is a well-known brand, of course people made light of the situation. Depression typically isn’t a laughing matter.
SUNNYD, are you okay? You need to put yourself first — you can't pour from an empty container!
— Healthline (@Healthline) February 4, 2019
Others pointed out that there are other fast food accounts that are known to provide laughs. So if that’s what SunnyD was going for, they chose a terrible topic.
Here’s a big reason why plenty of people thought it was a joke. SunnyD began retweeting tweets that used the “I can’t do this anymore” message as a punchline. For example, taking mental health out of it entirely, plenty of moms can relate to this.
*Hears #BabyShark play for the thousandth time*
— PureWow (@PureWow) February 5, 2019
Me: https://t.co/syJTeqvq5E
SunnyD also retweeted this. Also relatable, especially after the holidays.
Me 30 seconds into cleaning https://t.co/Iu4u9DpuGj
— Chica (@ChicaLive) February 5, 2019
Even other brands started using SunnyD’s tweet like a meme. GrubHub made sure to get their joke in, which — you guessed it — SunnyD retweeted.
Me cooking: https://t.co/SdtLTHrO2l
— Grubhub (@Grubhub) February 4, 2019
In a way, it’s almost like SunnyD is reveling in the fact that they’re a punchline. But since so many people assumed the person behind the account needed help, it downplays everything.
me: ugh they aren’t giving me enough hours
— row (@spaceageranger) February 5, 2019
work: *gives me hours*
me: https://t.co/a3PgFw5cMZ
Even if it was a joke, you need to keep in mind that to some, it’s still not acceptable to openly talk about mental health. Hopefully, someday, it’ll be a topic that people can discuss without fear or worry of judgment. But for now, it’s a big step to try and reach out for support. So, SunnyD could have literally chosen from a billion other topics. Like, how about ragging on Purple Stuff?
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQE3jWYuGiw"]It’s good to talk about mental health, especially as a big company. But making light of it later on gives off the wrong impression. Hopefully, the person behind SunnyD’s social media account is actually doing okay and took advantage of the available resources out there.
