CELEBRITIES & TWITTERHuman Branding in the World of Social Media

By Meghan Ward

Basics of Twitter

Created in 2006 by Jack Dorsey Started as an internal services for

podcasting company Odeo Microblogging tool Asks question “What are you doing” Post and read messages called

“Tweets” Posts can be up to 140 characters 65 million tweets are posted daily

What is in a Tweet?

Why do celebrities use Social Media? To further engage their fans in their

life They are their own brand, so they

must market themselves Our fascination with celebrities is

now fed by knowing what they are thinking, where they are going, and even what they are eating

The mystery is gone, but the market for celebrities is bigger than ever. (Think reality TV stars!)

Why Twitter?

According to the NYTimes “(Twitter) promises a level of intimacy

never before approached online, as well as giving the public the ability to speak directly to people and institutions once comfortably on a pedestal.”

“Facebook is like ‘Cheers,’ where everyone knows your name. Twitter is the hipster bar where you booze and schmooze people.”

Why Twitter

Twitter is arguable the simplest social networking tool

Less personalized than Facebook Bridges the gap between celebrities

and fans without providing too much of a glimpse behind the curtain (unless the celebrity wants to do so)

Fans feel they know these celebrities

Celebrity Twitter Websites? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

9pJapJ2l6HQ http://celebtweeting.com/ Twitter Tracker gone after Conan vs.

NBC http://www.celebritytweet.com/ http://tweetmuseum.com/

Who is on Twitter?

Everyone from the Dalai Lama to Miley Cyrus

Oprah helped Twitter gain 6 million extra followers in one month just by signing up

Top celebrities on Twitter include: Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen Degeneres, Lady Gaga, and Barack Obama

Is it Genuine?

Ghost-Twitterers often write for celebrities

Example: 50 Cent“He doesn’t actually use Twitter, but the energy of it is all him.”

Politicians Barack Obama and Ron Paul have teams of people who run their Twitters

Britney Spears recently advertised for help with her Twitter

Are Ghost-Twitterers Okay?

“It’s O.K. to tweet for a brand, but not O.K. for a celebrity. But the truth is, they are a brand. What they are to the public is not always what they are behind the curtain. If the manager knows that better than the star, then they should do it.” (NYTimes)

When Ghost-Twitterers Are Okay

SOMETIMES makes sense for celebrities that are promoting a specific brand

For politicians it is an informative and organizational tool rather than a glimpse behind the curtain

Could save a celebrity from a Sarah Palin “refudiate” moment

A Look At Popular Celebrity Twitter Accounts How is this person marketing

himself/herself? Are they providing a glimpse into

their life? Are the Tweets personalized? Does it seem strictly business or is

there play? How many followers do they have?

We know this is a ghost writer She is clearly made a brand and it is marketed Repeatedly uses “Ya’ll” Promotes her fragrance, songs, a magazine she is

in, etc. Signs all of her Tweets “-Brit” Mostly business but disguised as play Provides slight glimpse at her life with Tweets

like: Watching @GleeOnFox. What are you guys up to tonight? –Britney

Has 5,455,204 followers http://twitter.com/britneyspears

Her Tweets market her brand of promiscuity and individuality Ex:Gaga does Dallas. Calling all Dallas gays! Are their any inappropriate Western stores where I may find some unacceptable day wear? xMother

She Tweets about her concerts, her fans, charities she believes in, etc.

Only gives slight glimpse into her personal life

Uses to promote herself (particularly her concert) and to express her opinions

Has 5,234,193 followers http://twitter.com/ladygaga

The modern “Fireside Chats” Includes advice for Americans, a careful glimpse

into the president’s life, updates on political situations, and statements of promise and “hope”As a presidential candidate, I pledged to bring the Iraq war to a responsible end. That's exactly what we're doing—as promised, on schedule.

Used less as a marketing tool and more as an informative tool

All Tweets remain strictly business (or strictly politics) Tweets are not very personal Has 4,708,476 followers http://twitter.com/BarackObama

Tweets promote her as a down-home, blue collar, USA chanting, extremist conservative, which is her brand image

None of her tweets are glimpses into her life All Tweets express her political opinions. Ex:

President w/no time to visit porous US/Mexican border to offer help to those risking life to secure us,but lotso' time to chat on The View?

Attempts to remain strictly business, but has

humor in her Tweets Tweets are not personalized but they appear to

be written by her http://twitter.com/SarahPalinUSA

He is not clearly marketing himself, or even branding himself, he is just being himself

Posts his thoughts, funny pictures, and what he is doing at the moment

His strategy is working because it is extremely personalized; followers feel they know himI've seen cracked screens but this is another level. Still works! http://yfrog.com/mr9uuj

Appears to be strictly play Has 5,365,811 followers http://twitter.com/aplusk

We are aware that this is a Ghost-Twitterer This is promoting him and the things he is

attending, but a voice or a “brand” seems a bit lost

It is strictly business, but seems like a bit of playRT @TonyYayo: Real soccer fans will know! Was chillin with Ronaldinho last night at the show in Rio!! http://twitpic.com/26ipe0

The only glimpse into his life we get is about the celebrity events he goes to, and that he is a registered bone marrow donator

Has 2,831,602 followers http://twitter.com/50cent

In Conclusion…

Celebrities no longer have to call People Magazine to get publicity

Self branding has grown as celebrities market themselves via social media

Twitter has exploded as celebrities have taken over

The mystery is gone but the fascination will never die!

References

News: http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/twitter/index.html?scp

=2&sq=celebrities%20on%20twitter&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/technology/internet/27twitter.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/technology/internet/18oprah.html?scp=1&

sq=oprah%20on%20twitter&st=Search

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/twittering-celebrities-take-fans-backstage-in-their-lives/?scp=1&sq=twitter%20celebrities&st=Search

Blogs: http://www.blogs.com/topten/top-10-celebrities-on-twitter/ http://www.thecelebrityblog.com/ http://www.celebritytweet.com/ http://www.celebtweets.com http://www.tweetmuseum.com Twitter: Previously mentioned! (Celebrity Twitter accounts) Literature Twitter Power 2.0- How to Dominate your Market One Tweet at a Time by Joel

Comm 2010

A Little Something Extra…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHAZt-Exuaw