‘Game-changing’ sentiment analysis tool set to transform the way big brands engage on social media

Brands today cannot shy away from engaging with their audience on social media, but the results aren’t always guaranteed, to say the least.

Inability to read your audience’s intent or failing to understand where the conversation is steering can result in potential revenue losses or, in worst case scenarios, to permanent damage to the brand. Enter Campfire, a multi-award-winning social media agency and their new sentiment analysis tool: VibeCheck.

While most brands will often focus on ‘quicker’ ways to evaluate and benchmark social performance, such as likes or shares, experts increasingly stress that the most valuable feedback lies hidden in the comments section. However, this is easier said than done as the task can be overwhelming, often requiring a manual approach and a lot of valuable time. The tool’s ambitious promise is to redefine the way in which brands understand and even interact with their audiences through their social channels. The tool can deliver real-time insights into audience sentiment and categorise comments as positive, negative, or neutral and even detect purchase intent.

So is VibeCheck essentially a damage-prevention tool, I hear you ask? According to Alex Brown, co-founder and CCO of Campfire, that’s only half the story:

“Imagine being able to catch warning signs or spot opportunities in your comments section before a campaign is over. That’s what VibeCheck offers, giving brands the edge they need to stay ahead.”

The importance of social sentiment analysis is well-known: from success stories like Starbucks’ omni-present autumnal drink Pumpkin Spice Latte, which became a billion-dollar trend thanks to the brand’s own active engagement with consumer sentiment, to missteps of viral proportions like Pepsi “Live for Now” campaign featuring Kendall Jenner. With the ability to monitor sentiment evolution, VibeCheck would also help brands track any audience shift over time (something that may have saved Pepsi from the backlash by understanding public sentiment in advance).

Campfire itself represents a UK business success story, having been at the forefront of social-first marketing since its founding in 2019. What began in a spare room in Salford has grown into a leading agency working with major brands like L’Oréal, Dove, and Quorn.

VibeCheck is the latest addition to Campfire’s suite of proprietary tools, which includes AdClarity, Compass, Foresight and Spark. The latter is a multi award-winning tool able to identify emerging social media trends weeks before they become mainstream, giving brands a critical head start. The agency has also recently launched the GenAlpha Translator, which helps brands decipher the growing (yet obscure) Gen Alpha lingo, making sure they stay culturally relevant and relatable.

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