ROOFTOP banter

A Trending Topic: How to Advertise on Twitter

Posted By: 

Brandi Hensler

Date: 

May 27th, 2011 /// Industry Insight

Clients often ask about advertising on Twitter. Can you do it? How? Is it like the Facebook? Here’s the deal: Twitter, like Facebook before it, has taken its time releasing an advertising platform (with good reason). Until recently, advertisers have had to be creative to utilize the site with tactics such as promotional accounts, hashtags, celebrity endorsements, etc.

But now – brands rejoice – there are three options that Twitter has rolled out for advertisers:

• Promoted Tweets: A lot more people will see your tweet, so make it good.
• Promoted Trends: Get your brand, message, etc. on the coveted Trending Topics list.
• Promoted Accounts: Fire up your follower count by being featured in the “Who to Follow” section.

But don’t drop the rest of your social strategy yet. Twitter doesn’t take just anyone; you can only request to be included. If you think you’ll make the cut, enter here.

Check out this great infographic from Mashable to see the history of Twitter advertising in detail. And read the accompanying article here.

• Leave a Comment

Will The Greatest Movie Ever Sold Sell Us Out?

Posted By: 

Brandi Hensler

Date: 

March 31st, 2011 /// Industry Insight, Inspiration, Marketing Trends, Uncategorized

“So what I want to do is make a film about product placement, marketing and advertising where the entire film is funded by product placement, marketing and advertising.”

From Morgan Spurlock, the director of Super Size Me, comes a documentary that plans to reveal all the dirty details of the true world of advertising. I would guess that many in our industry are responding with a deep sigh or an “uh oh.” People are going to see who we really are. What we really do to make them want what we have. All with complete transparency.

This girl? Not worried. Excited, actually.

Advertisers today aren’t necessarily the same malicious manipulators that I grew up hearing ranked right next to lawyers on the Scale of Evilness. Today, if you’re smart, you know better.

The gap between social media and PR is closing everyday. Information sharing is increasing exponentially. Consumers trust word-of-mouth 60% more than traditional advertising. With all this, brands are being forced to be more transparent and honest… or else (cue the Nestle palm oil push back).

There’s no hiding who you really are anymore, and I don’t have a problem with that. It’s only pushing us all to do what the best of the industry have done all along – find the truth about your product and communicate it to those who will take interest. Work harder. Be more creative. This documentary may be perfect inspiration to take it even further.

In any case, the film and related aftermath promise to be wildly entertaining. So stock up on name-brand munchies and update your Fandango app. This is an extravaganza we won’t want to miss.

• Leave a Comment

Piperlime: Bitchy or Brilliant?

Posted By: 

Brandi Hensler

Date: 

August 31st, 2010 /// Marketing Trends

Piperlime’s “Let’s Get Dressed” campaign is creating a lot of buzz. The campaign encourages women to get dressed up and say “no” to sweats & sneakers & such.

The buzz isn’t surrounding the print portion of the campaign so much as the social media. To be specific, some people are a bit salty about their Status Updates. Not like Piperlime didn’t see this coming, with posts such as, “Every time you wear sweatpants in public, a single guy leaves New York.” Is it worth potentially losing fans who consider this language “snotty?”

I vote yes. Personally, I applaud Piperlime for taking a risk, and Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners for selling in the campaign. It’s edgy and appropriate, and the audience they are targeting appreciates it. The potential for pissing off a few people is offset by the opportunity to gain brand advocacy among many others who identify with their position. Talk about searching out qualified candidates. They gained me, for one. As for the haters… I think this falls under the “no press is bad press”  category. Touché, salesman.

Here’s the AdAge article and Piperlime’s FB page.

• Leave a Comment

Advocate Your Favorite Brands and Get Paid!

Posted By: 

Copy D

Date: 

August 25th, 2009 /// Marketing Trends

Social connectors are the engine that drive any viral phenomenon. That’s why word-of-mouth is worth its wait in gold to savvy marketers. Now, people have more incentive than the simple pleasure of recommending useful, interesting products and services to friends and family. Brand About Town allows you to become a “Brand Enthusiast” and get paid for spreading the word.

• Leave a Comment