Netflix burns Hulu with a brutal '13 Reasons Why' tweet

If you're going to go after Netflix, you'd best be prepared to deal with some serious power. That's what happened when streaming competitor Hulu tweeted an ad with the caption "Streaming only on Hulu. Not on Netflix."

Netflix responded a leisurely three days later (Were they too busy? Did they create a task force? Were they just partying with Aziz Ansari in Italy?) with a savage four-word tweet response: "Welcome to your tape."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

"Welcome to your tape" -- so much more caustic without any punctuation -- refers to Netflix's latest runaway hit, the high school drama 13 Reasons Why. When the show's narrator Hannah Baker dies by suicide, she leaves behind audiotapes directed at 13 people whose actions or words contributed to her decision. "Welcome to your tape" means you're one of the reasons; an enemy, a harasser, or someone who chose the wrong path.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The tweet was a risky one, given the show's emotionally charged subject matter -- and some fans definitely were put off by Netflix seemingly making light of a suicide attempt. But a glance at the retweets and likes between both tweets proves the bottom line: Netflix knows how to get people's attention.