How brands piggybacked #PigGate on Twitter
As of this morning (Monday 21 September) social media was abuzz with sensational claims regarding prime minister David Cameron's time at university.
A serialisation of Lord Ashcroft’s biography in the Daily Mail, alleging Prime Minister David Cameron partook in drug taking and participated in an obscene act with a dead pig, was the source of the #PigGate hashtag which dominated Twitter for most of Monday.
Many brands clearly showed restraint in repeating the allegations - those who did raise the issue however were all in with their mockery of the PM.
Paddy Power
God bless daytime TV. https://t.co/g0tHjRNyMz #piggate
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 21, 2015
All this nonsense is enough to make you choke on your bacon sandwich.#piggate pic.twitter.com/0yUb6KrEfM
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 21, 2015
Warning...#piggate pic.twitter.com/xb4ut1Xzc3
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 21, 2015
Scenes from #piggate pic.twitter.com/MZRfpngo1e
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) September 21, 2015
Comedy Central UK
Well, @MissPiggy *did* say she was single... #piggate http://t.co/yxqverZEZZ pic.twitter.com/FlesxY35H5
— Comedy Central UK (@ComedyCentralUK) September 21, 2015
Today on the internet: Is this real life? #piggate pic.twitter.com/v73CPDD168
— Comedy Central UK (@ComedyCentralUK) September 21, 2015
Sky New Zealand
A British prime minister. A pig. A strangely prescient tale? Catch the #BlackMirror encore tonight on SoHo. #piggate pic.twitter.com/rKRjyoXkuL
— SKY New Zealand (@SKYNZ) September 21, 2015
Sport Bible
Throwback to when Barca fans threw David Cameron's ex at Luis Figo #PigGate pic.twitter.com/uhd1w7IVsY
— TheSPORTbible (@TSBible) September 21, 2015
Last Minute.com
. @David_Cameron no pigs here, but if you want to tickle a tapir we can sort it: http://t.co/bFux83cxQW #piggate pic.twitter.com/YLTuT55SvG
— lastminute.com (@lastminute_com) September 21, 2015
Goal.UK
For no reason in particular, here's a pig-themed XI #piggate pic.twitter.com/ymFDw2UXUw
— Goal UK (@GoalUK) September 21, 2015
LadBible
David Cameron's university lover has opened up a Twitter account and is telling his side of the story... #piggate http://t.co/rXo0qH1hCy
— TheLADbible (@TheLadBible) September 21, 2015
Oxford Dictionaries
We hear that pigs are in the news - but which phrases use our four-legged friends? http://t.co/lJlzZTMp3T #piggate pic.twitter.com/aIPmP3r4uJ
— Oxford Dictionaries (@OxfordWords) September 21, 2015
Mumsnet
Surely the real question is whether Cameron had a beaker to hand after the event? #piggate
— Mumsnet (@MumsnetTowers) September 21, 2015
Coral
Ah, this explains it. #piggate https://t.co/47AIT7qdZ4
— Coral (@Coral) September 21, 2015
888 Sport
#PigGate pic.twitter.com/JT5koh7uEi
— 888sport (@888sport) September 21, 2015
And PETA UK adopted the hashtag to make a very serious point about artificial insemination in pigs
Female pigs on UK farms are repeatedly forcibly impregnated. http://t.co/8eM2m1wf5x #piggate pic.twitter.com/ev7WypyEUe
— PETA UK (@PETAUK) September 21, 2015
According to BrandWatch, #PigGate has dominated online discourse – although the media has been slightly more calculated in its approach to the claims.
#piggate: The number 1 topic in UK politics this morning pic.twitter.com/wGceoICeUa
— Brandwatch React (@BW_React) September 21, 2015