Celebrities on TwiTTer

4Rules foR looking MaRvelous online

by Jeremy Katz, Worldwide Editorial Director, Ogilvy & Mather

CelebRities on twitteR5 Rules foR looking MaRvelous online

be AuthentiCHave THe good TasTe To TweeT for yourself. Your followers can tell if you’re too self-important to type on your own phone, and they won’t like it one bit. Such authenticity extends to product endorsements. There may not be a church/state divide in the Twitter sphere as there is in traditional media, but celebrities should disclose if they’re being paid to talk something up. The public isn’t stupid and can tell if a promotion is sponsored or not. And if you like something, talk about it, even if you aren’t cashing checks. As Cannon said, “When Diddy posts a picture of himself holding a couple of vodka bottles, that’s real. I believe Diddy really does like vodka.”

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CelebRities on twitteR5 Rules foR looking MaRvelous online

use iT as a

toolSocial media should serve your needs. Mel B, the former Spice Girl, said she uses Twitter for more than just fan connection. It’s become a business tool. She explained that after posting a picture of herself in a bikini, she was later approached to endorse a lingerie line. Cannon said he’s learned to defang the paparazzi by openly sharing pictures of his family online.

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CelebRities on twitteR5 Rules foR looking MaRvelous online

informappropriaTelyUse Twitter to spread information that is of interest to your followers, but consider how your opinions may be interpreted. Stewart happily raved about the tomatoes Provençal she had last night, but said she avoids frothing about hot-button issues such as politics. She sees herself as an editorial figure and manages her twitter feed with the same editorial sensibility. Cannon, as a comedian, said he “has no discretion on line,” an appropriate stance considering his line of work.

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CelebRities on twitteR5 Rules foR looking MaRvelous online

grownupDon’t get into Twitter fights, as Cannon knows all to well. He told attendees of how he used to get into tweet battles, responding to snarky comments and escalating the war. Once the heat died down, he began to realize that was probably fighting with 13-year-old kids. “Isn’t there a more productive use of my time?” Cannon finally asked himself. Stewart said she refuses to respond to antagonizing posters, while Mel B, who “has been called every name there is,” just dismissed the haters as being unworthy of her attention.

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