Did Twitter hit the mainstream last Thursday night? Over the last couple of weeks, in what was already a viable and hot social media property, Twitter has gotten even further buzz. While the tech savvy crowd and hipsters have long been on the Twitter bandwagon, in the past two weeks marketers may have finally begun to leverage Twitter's appeal to the masses.
First, for sports fans, there was the Jay Cutler incident in the NFC Championship Game. Jay Cutler, the enigmatic Bears QB, left the biggest game of his career with what looked like a “soft” injury. Maybe it was the player, or the magnitude of the game, but Twitter LIT UP with chatter about this incident, and not just by sports junkies and hacks like me. Sports analysts, players and celebrities all had a view point and they all took to Twitter. While the announcers were discussing it along with the game, people’s opinions were formed not by the TV but by what was being said over at Twitter. While I often tweet and follow others via a hashtag (#) during a game, this was an avalanche of content.
Newsworthy, of course, is the current crisis in Egypt. Social media and Twitter have been playing a role in news coverage now for a while, but this time it was in a part of the world where many of us Westerners wouldn’t expect it – the Middle East. Not only were we seeing tweets and comments from Egypt, but the rallies and gatherings were being CREATED by tweets! Adding fuel to the fire was the Egyptian Government trying to censor the content by shutting off access. While this part of the world has been long known for political unrest and upheaval, this was the one of the first times that Social Media really flexed its political muscle, and was able to move the needle so much. In related news, we are all now familiar with the clothing retailer Kenneth Cole creating a social media mess with their #Cairo tweet (pictured). The retailer known for ads based on current events probably missed the boat with their insensitivity, but drove loads of traffic to their site and gained a lot of press for this stunt. Bad for the brand, but was this a strategic move nonetheless?
The third, and maybe most revealing look into Twitter’s mainstream rise, came from last Thursday night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy. For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s a medical drama set in a hospital. Not much more needs to be said. The episode included one of the surgeons tweeting about her surgeries. The surgeon was clearly part of the “in crowd” with technology, while the older chief of surgery was not familiar with Twitter. In perfect made-for-TV fashion, not only did the chief eventually become enamored with Twitter, but its use actually saved a patient, created a dialogue amongst colleagues, and even sparked a “mini reunion.” All of that in just one hour, and for the millions of 25-54 females watching this show, wondering what the hubbub surrounding the Twitter thing, and how/why their kids are using it, it just might have “clicked.”
I, for one, am very interested in seeing how marketers continue to leverage social media into "traditional" media. By bridging this online/offline gap, I predict we will see more mainstream utility usage of Twitter, as well as other social media platforms, and how our media consumption will truly become immersive experiences. Can't wait for my connected TV to have its own hashtag #GilsTV.
First, for sports fans, there was the Jay Cutler incident in the NFC Championship Game. Jay Cutler, the enigmatic Bears QB, left the biggest game of his career with what looked like a “soft” injury. Maybe it was the player, or the magnitude of the game, but Twitter LIT UP with chatter about this incident, and not just by sports junkies and hacks like me. Sports analysts, players and celebrities all had a view point and they all took to Twitter. While the announcers were discussing it along with the game, people’s opinions were formed not by the TV but by what was being said over at Twitter. While I often tweet and follow others via a hashtag (#) during a game, this was an avalanche of content.
Newsworthy, of course, is the current crisis in Egypt. Social media and Twitter have been playing a role in news coverage now for a while, but this time it was in a part of the world where many of us Westerners wouldn’t expect it – the Middle East. Not only were we seeing tweets and comments from Egypt, but the rallies and gatherings were being CREATED by tweets! Adding fuel to the fire was the Egyptian Government trying to censor the content by shutting off access. While this part of the world has been long known for political unrest and upheaval, this was the one of the first times that Social Media really flexed its political muscle, and was able to move the needle so much. In related news, we are all now familiar with the clothing retailer Kenneth Cole creating a social media mess with their #Cairo tweet (pictured). The retailer known for ads based on current events probably missed the boat with their insensitivity, but drove loads of traffic to their site and gained a lot of press for this stunt. Bad for the brand, but was this a strategic move nonetheless?
The third, and maybe most revealing look into Twitter’s mainstream rise, came from last Thursday night’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy. For those unfamiliar with the show, it’s a medical drama set in a hospital. Not much more needs to be said. The episode included one of the surgeons tweeting about her surgeries. The surgeon was clearly part of the “in crowd” with technology, while the older chief of surgery was not familiar with Twitter. In perfect made-for-TV fashion, not only did the chief eventually become enamored with Twitter, but its use actually saved a patient, created a dialogue amongst colleagues, and even sparked a “mini reunion.” All of that in just one hour, and for the millions of 25-54 females watching this show, wondering what the hubbub surrounding the Twitter thing, and how/why their kids are using it, it just might have “clicked.”
I, for one, am very interested in seeing how marketers continue to leverage social media into "traditional" media. By bridging this online/offline gap, I predict we will see more mainstream utility usage of Twitter, as well as other social media platforms, and how our media consumption will truly become immersive experiences. Can't wait for my connected TV to have its own hashtag #GilsTV.
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