Using Twitter to Improve Brand Perception

Can Social Media Disassociate Mardi Gras and 'Boobs'

Posted by Tom Martin on 03.12.09 @ 12:25 PM

Tom Martin

Truth is, there is a whole side of Mardi Gras that non-New Orleanians never see. It is very family-oriented and looks more like the world's largest tailgate party than a scene from "Girls Gone Wild." And that was my goal. To see if I could reduce my followers' negative brand linkage (Mardi Gras = crazy and flashing) and/or increase their positive brand linkage (family and tailgating).

For those that missed out on the fun, I spent the final five days of Mardi Gras sending out tweets that included links to photographs I took at Mardi Gras. In my tweets I'd give a bit of context, humor or just descriptive copy to let my followers know what the picture contained. Over the course of the five days I sent up 185 tweets and responded to a number of followers that made comments, re-tweeted or asked me questions.

And here is what I learned about how to use Twitter to shape brand perception:

Relationships matter. To help me spread the word, I recruited my "Select Six" consisting of @ChrisBrogan, @MackCollier, @LisaHoffmann, @Armano, @BethHarte and @AmberCadabra. The strength of my "relationship" with these folks spans the spectrum from none (asked one of the others to recruit him/her) to very good (he/she once Tweeted with my 6-year-old son as a favor). I assigned each of these helpers a unique tracking URL so that I could see how often they Tweeted, as well as the results (click-throughs) of those tweets. After reviewing their activity, there is an almost perfect linear relationship that follows the strength of my relationships with them. My closest "friend" was the most active and the recruited Tweeter who wasn't following me prior to the experiment was the least active.

Consumers will follow you for content. Prior to the experiment, I had 759 followers. By my first tweet(4 days later), I had 1,610 and by the end of Mardi Gras I had crossed over 1,700 followers.

Content humanizes. I don't have hard stats on this one, so maybe some of my followers will chime in via the comments below, but I'm convinced that my Mardi Gras tweets helped me develop a stronger relationship with my followers. Since the experiment, I've noted a significant rise in folks @'ing me, retweeting my tweets and helping me when I toss out a question that I need an answer for on the fly. I even had folks express sorrow that "Mardi Gras Tom" was gone.

Things will go wrong. For a brand trying to live-tweet an event like Mardi Gras, expect the unexpected. From difficulty getting in-focus shots of moving floats to the AT&T 3G network totally crapping out on me 45 minutes before the Endymion parade, technical difficulties will occur and back-up technology/plans are a must.

It takes a village to tweet an event. There was so much I missed, from Zulu landing to Saturday's Uptown parades to the perfect shot I couldn't get because I was uploading my last tweet. If you're going to live-tweet an event even close to the size of Mardi Gras, you need a village.

And last but not least ...

You can change perception using Twitter and embedded journalism. Much like reporters during the Vietnam War colored Americans' views via embedded reports from the battlefront, you can use embedded Twittalism (I've coined a phrase) to change brand perception. Here are the metrics for the key brand linkages I was trying to effect.

Notes on samples: Demographically speaking, the samples are almost identical. On top of that, I had a "control" variable in the linkage question. Both in the pre- and post-surveys, 10% of people linked "Church" to Mardi Gras, which was exactly as I would have expected given I did nothing to link Mardi Gras to church in my tweets.

And there you have it. Yes it isn't perfect science, but the data strongly suggests that one man, an iPhone and a dream can change brand perception. For more a more detailed write-up be sure to visit my blog, Positive Disruption where I'll post a more in-depth analysis next week, @me on Twitter or send me an email.

~ ~ ~
Tom Martin is President of Zehnder Communications, with offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. He can be reached at Tom.Martin@z-comm.com. Or follow him at @TomMartin.

8 Comments

  By William | Richmond, VA March 13, 2009 08:58:59 am:

Good going, Tom. Mardi Gras and New Orleans needs all of the help it can get. It is a wonderful family event and we need more people like you helping to change its perception, especially in light of the shooting that took place on Mardi Gras day on St. Charles Ave. Several people I understand were injured in that event. Did that affect perceptions at all?

Permalink

  By meanseo | Boca Raton, FL March 13, 2009 12:03:50 pm:

On a daily basis I am blown away by how useful twitter has become as long as you are focused. Best new marketing tool in years.

We assign different people to twit on various topics and interlink those we feel have complimentary messages and themes to maximize the impact of our branding efforts.

I have assembled some great free twitter power tools at http://MeanSeo.com/twittertools.html
if I have missed any "must have" twitter tools tell me!

Permalink

  By calebadams | VISALIA, CA March 13, 2009 01:00:24 pm:

Tom - a few thoughts from a small town:

Previous Mardi Gras perceptions:
Beer, flashing, parades, debauchery, sprinkled with beads.

Mid-Mardi-Gras Tweet Campaign thoughts:
Is this guy crazy taking his family to Mardi Gras? And a child!? Someone call CPS.

Is that a church in the background?

Are they BBQing?

Post-campaign perception: Mardi Gras isn't all chaos.

Summary: Another one of my stereotypes down the drain.

Cheers.

Permalink

  By MaryLou | Eastham, MA March 14, 2009 09:47:11 am:

A comment from the wildlife sanctuary

I'm lucky enough to live in a resort area and work with the local wildlife sanctuary. Like so many other non-profits we need to reach out to younger visitors/members/donors. I want to Twitter one of our conservation events later in the spring. We're restoring wild oyster habitat in the bay. I'm planning an OysterTwest. Your articles have showed me that I'm on the right track on some things and given me useful ideas. A great experiment with a worthwhile objective to all of us who love New Orleans. Thanks so much!!!
MLR

Permalink

  By Max | Venice, CA March 14, 2009 07:21:08 pm:

i've often tried to explain to people that there's a whole family-friendly side to Mardi Gras.
I will be at JazzFest and plan on doing some Tweeting and Facebook updating.
Max Bean
www.twitter.com/maxbean

Permalink

  By jestebanc | Prosper, TX March 15, 2009 03:32:48 am:

Totally agree that Twitter relationships (not spam or random messages) can change brand perception.

Also think that AdAge articles can do the same (especially when you are not following the writer.. yet).

www.twitter.com/jestebanc

Permalink

  By Tom Martin | NEW ORLEANS, LA March 16, 2009 10:18:59 am:

Folks - thanks for all the great comments. A note: there is an error in the data presented above. Post-Mardi Gras, the Flashing number DROPPED to 36% - I probably had a typo in my submission to Ad Age. Sorry about that folks.

@TomMartin

Permalink

  By srpatterson | Columbus, OH July 26, 2009 03:32:15 pm:

Changing the perception in a single event might be too hard to accomplish as you are competing with other media outlets that are reinforcing the other aspects you want people to forget about.
Steve
http://iamsellingtoday.com

Permalink

Comment:

Note: Comments submitted to AdAge.com are posted automatically and will include the user name with which you registered. Ad Age reserves the right to delete comments that are insulting or personal in nature. Comments may be used in the print edition at editorial discretion. Comments are restricted to 500 words or less.