Intriguing article in The Wall Street Journal on November 15, 2010 “Tweeting to Sell Cars; Auto Makers Turn to Social Media Influencers for Buzz.”
Basically, the piece is about Ford, Lexus and Toyota tapping social media heavyweights to help influence followers on Twitter and push brand and new cars. Where traditionally celebrities were engaged to tout new vehicles, now the likes of Brian Solis, a disc jockey, and Baratunde Thurston, web editor of the Onion, are being tapped to push autos down followers’ throats.
How do you feel about that?
Brian Solis is in my stream; he doesn’t follow me, but I regard him as an A-lister, for sure. Would I pause if he began tweeting about a brand more than five times a day? Absolutely, and then he’d lose credibility in my book. We all agree social media is supposed to be monetized. Kudos to those who do it well ala Brian Solis.
Being a Twitterati is more about creating community in my book, but it’s also about replying and connecting. The only time my tweet was acknowledged by Brian was when the product I bought from him was late by five weeks (and it messed up my presentation).
In the case of the large auto makers, their scale is global. To them numbers talk, and we are, after all, a numerical society – those with the highest numbers of followers get the nod from outsiders but not necessarily from we on the inside.
What’s your impression of Twitterati, corporate America tapping social media influencers, and whether that strategy works with the grassroots tweeps? I’d love to hear your impression on this one!
Jayme, I appreciate your opinion and I disagree. When businesses whether they are car makers of diaper companies ASK twitterati or bloggers if they want to help them reach their audience it is about a choice.
I as a human being as well as consumer I would happily talk about a produce or service that I use , enjoy and admire.
The difference to me is when people jump on board for only the money.
If you admire Brian, yet you acknowledge that the only time he tweeted with you was when there was a problem, help me to understand how he fits into YOUR group of admired folks on twitter when you said it is about replying and connecting. (BTW so it is not misunderstood I love @BrianSolis he has been on my radio show and I have talked with him in person and he is genuinely humble and charming)
So by that definition of yours, if I was highly engaging (which is what folks say about me ;)) AND I choose to work with a brand that I LOVE, Admire and Believe in you are saying you would unfollow me and I lost credibility.
Maybe you might see how you can expand your thinking so it is a little more open-minded.
You asked for my impression and I gave it ;)) See you Tues at 10pm ET on #SMManners unless you choose to unfollow me now, chuckle.
Hey, Michelle, thanks for your healthy disagreement here, and you’ll need to work a little harder to have me unfollow you!
Let me correct an error you stated above, however. I never said I would unfollow anyone; I mentioned a credibility factor being at risk “If he tweeted 5/day about a brand.” Heckuva lot different than what you’re implying above.
As for “how you can expand your thinking so it is a little more open-minded” thanks for that tip! Perhaps this post hasn’t shed the best light, in your opinion, but it prompted your input which I appreciate.