When mainstream TV producers want a creative spin by putting their characters on Twitter streams, I’m assuming they recruit their corporate marketing departments to produce creative. Yes, some folks in marketing may be creative, but a slight corporate feel pervades the exercise. Here’s how AMC TV have “Twittered” out their MadMen characters. The exercise works because the characters Twitter with their fans and engage them on a personal level. I give it an A for originality.
It’s odd the Mad Man blog doesn’t mention the Twitter exercise.
A few of the many Mad Men characters on Twitter:
See previous article: Social Media Satire – User Generated
UPDATES Oct. 9, 2008 9:10am PDT
I must admit, I didn’t realize how clueless AMC was that they tried to stop Twitter- based user generated marketing, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. Corporate marketing rarely gets social media correctly the first time until it hits them on the head, then they try to take the credit.
Related articles:
AMC to Twitterers – please don’t market Mad Men for us
Twitter, AMC wise up, restore Mad Men accounts
(h/t Nice Fish Films)
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Michael Sean Wright of NiceFishFilms sent me this message and I’m adding it as a comment. Thanks MSW…
Pat, enjoyed your post. The reason AMC doesn’t mention the character twitters is they really didn’t like this idea. They actually sent Twitter a take down notice – I blogged about this – http://nicefishfilms.com/blog/item/twitter-me-silly-everything-you-need-to-know-about-twitter/ After their social media consultants stepped in and wisely advised AMC to not block the fan interaction, they allowed it to continue. All the best with your blog. – MSW
Individual fans are behind the Twitter accounts. Think of it akin to fan fiction. It IS interesting, though, to interact with the characters as though they are real. Especially since they are living in a world 30 years earlier than ours.
Thank you for the update Daniel… the look & feel of the Twitter sites and the dialogues seemed similar. I was fooled, and subsequent comments reveal that mainstream media like AMC just don’t get it yet.