Man Poses as Target on Facebook, Trolls Haters of Its Gender-Neutral Move With Epic Replies

A feisty customer rep

#SMW is right around the corner. Join us April 9-11 in NYC to get up to speed on all the latest strategies, technologies and trends you need to be following. Register now.

Brands can't be as honest as they might like in dealing with haters on Facebook. But sometimes other Facebook users can do it for them.

That dynamic played out in particularly rogue fashion on Target's Facebook page this week. As the retailer received a steady stream of nasty comments from people upset about its move toward gender-neutral labeling of children's products in its stores, Facebook user Mike Melgaard came to Target's defense—in a provocative manner. He created a fake Facebook account and posed as a Target customer service rep—under the name Ask ForHelp, with a bull's-eye profile pic—and began excoriating the haters with comically sarcastic replies.

He got away with it for about 16 hours, too, commenting on about 50 posts before the fake account was shut down.

AW+

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Spring Special

Save 30% Off an ADWEEK Subscription Today!

View Your Options

Already a member? Sign in