In today’s Wall Street Journal there is a full page ad from a gum manufacturer featuring Twitter Tweets as “endoresments” of their product.
The ad begins with “The people have Tweeted.”
The ad then features Tweets that speak highly of their gum brand from ten different Twitter accounts.
The People Have Tweeted
Readers are then encouraged to follow the brand @ Twiter.com/tridentlayers
I wonder if Trident had to get permission from each of the Tweeters to use their Tweet in their promotional materials or if the Tweeters were compensated for endorsing Trident Layers?
Time permitting, I am going to contact each of them and see if they were even aware their Tweets had been used in a full page Wall Street Journal ad or not.
The following ten Twitter accounts endorsed Trident Layers gum.
MsCalcote, eddahlen, warob, cameron_crazy, xstandforitx, mattchew03, amybites, FitBottomedGirl, melissakmurray and lollieshopping.
I sure hope for Trident’s sake they alerted these Tweeters first (not me) about using their Tweets and that none of the above Twitterers are employees, friends or family members of any of their ad agencies.
Tags: Tweets, Tweets As Endorsements, Twitter, Twitter.com/tridentlayers
@TimCohn | Author Tim Cohn's Blog 
December 21, 2009 at 4:38 pm |
Trident Layers rock! #SERIOUSLY
December 21, 2009 at 5:08 pm |
Yes, we were aware. They contacted me a few weeks ago saying, “We are doing a nation-wide campaign featuring twitter, would you like us to include your tweet?” and I said yes. They asked that I sign a release form so that they could publish it and sent a direct message the day the paper came out and notified me that it was in the life section of that days USA Today. I was expecting a copious amount of tweets in the background with the ad over top of it but I was really surprised to see a full page color ad and only ten people’s tweets featured on the ad.
Thanks for contacting me!
-Chase
December 21, 2009 at 5:23 pm |
Hi this is melissakmurray. Trident contacted us all directly via Twitter and then email to get signed consent forms signed and returned prior to running the ad. I don’t work for them or any agency representing the company. I was just sharing how awesome the product is on Twitter (like I do everything I’m passionate about). Rest assured, my tweet was authentic and I wasn’t paid for the tweet in any way. Hooray!
December 21, 2009 at 5:31 pm |
Trident contacted me after I posted the featured Tweet and asked me if I’d be interested in participating in the campaign. With my permission, they e-mailed me a consent form, which I signed and returned. I am definitely not an employee, friend, or family member of anyone associated with Trident. The whole thing was very friendly and professional, and I assume it was the same with all the other participants.
March 25, 2010 at 4:21 am |
Yeah, they emailed me a consent form and I had to fax it back to them. As with xstandforitx I figured there would be millions of other things people had said but I was very surprised to see only 10. 🙂