I can’t do this anymore
On Sunday evening, Sunny Delight tweeted an elusive statement: "I can't do this anymore."
As of Monday, the tweet has gone viral, with more than 70,000 retweets and engagements that exceeded any of its other cheeky tweets.
Of course, this is a kind of social media strategy other companies are adopting — even Twitter itself. But SunnyD's tweet came so fast, and so dark.
People immediately showed up to ask what was weighing on the brand's heart, asked if it was feeling OK, and if it wanted to talk.
"My dms are open for you if you need to vent Sunny," one person tweeted back.
Some even shared real words of inspiration.
@sunnydelight @ryanmoyle Every time you've wanted to give up you've gotten through it. You will get through this.
People who probably have not taken a sip of SunnyD in a decade but who will forever associate it with childhood nostalgia felt a special kinship with the company and its sad tweet.
"You know something is wrong in this world when the SunnyD account has had enough," one person wrote.
"Sunny d out here getting the guinness world record for Biggest Mood," another added.
if sunny d going thru it, we all goin thru it https://t.co/FkCiptgVs3
Other brands, including MoonPie, began interacting with SunnyD. "What's going on sunny," it asked in response to the tweet.
"Mood last night. All good MP thanks for checking in ily," SunnyD responded.
Less corporate, but big-on-Twitter brands, like the account @s8n (or "Satan"), chimed in to lend their emotional support.
"I feel you sunnyd my friend," @s8n wrote. "Thank u Satan," the company replied.
These simple interactions have received hundreds of retweets and faves themselves.
@sunnydelight What’s going on sunny
The company has apparently struck relevancy online by playing into a self-pitying narrative. The tweet has people cosigning, relating, and making further jokes.
However, not everyone is playing along.
Some are criticizing the brand for literally capitalizing on depression.
"Wait is this using depression as some kind of 'relatable' marketing tactic? I usually ignore this fake 'quirky' advertising but this is too far," one person wrote in response to the viral tweet.
"Depression isn't like... a cute brand joke," another added.
BuzzFeed News has reached out to SunnyD for comment.
I’m so over this “brand x is depressed shit” It’s toxic and not funny boo sunny d boo https://t.co/O7SIvZrlF9