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Tweets and Twits

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I just read a FaceBook post by Mitch Joel.

Mitch Joel: This sudden rash of bad marketing offers in reply emails when you start to follow certain people on Twitter is pretty sad (and bad).

I replied to Mitch and agree completely …

Pete Mosley:  Watching all this Twittering is like a seeing a human without his/her skin. It's not pretty lookin' at all the gooey bits. Let alone the PR spins, obvious self promotion (Nominate ME!!!) and the "marketing" crapola. Plus, the 30 Tweets/30 minutes is just so not Cluetrain. They ain't tweets My Luv… me thinks they are cries for some well-needed therapy?

As y'all know, I am a Cluetrain guy. I have the rights and use the material in courses and lectures – and, I believe strongly in this wonderful thing we have called The Net. It is all about conversations.

I am watching – with great interest – Twitter; microblogging i.e. sending out updates and I noticed a couple of things ( I am researching this stuff for some clients and some talks I am preparing.)

Guy Kawasaki – yep, he is a stone-cold killer when it comes to all things Mac and Guerilla Marketing. However, if you are following Guy – like the 6 gazillion of us – he is using this Twitter thing as a self- promotional tool full stop. He calls it a weapon. Cluetrain states and quite rightly – "When did they turn marketing into a verb- with us as the object?"

He is non-stop all over us with his new AllTop.com site as well as his new book. Cool site fer sure. And I like his books – will probably get this one too. But OK we get it!!! Guy, you are becoming like a damn encyclopedia salesman. Hell, I know "trash and trinket" sales weasels that he makes look subtle! Take a smallish break Guy. We get it. Trust me, we get it. Ron Popeil would be embarrassed! Sometime ya have to know when you have made the sale. And when ya have to shut up!

I am also watching with great interest the Johnny Depp FaceBook fiasco. He has changed his account name three times (at least) and is non-stop promoting the new film(s) with hundreds (literally) of photos of himself. How many times can ya change your Facebook handle? I know guys that have been banned cause they sent 20 messages to their own lists? Sheeesh, talk about double standard. I would love to find out what PR group/machine is masterminding this mess. And what it has paid the powers that be to do this type of propaganda?

Don't get me wrong … yep, I am a huge fan. Absolutely, I  love the Deppster. But sheeeesh! This makes Britney's net-scapades seem like she is a damn wallflower. Talk about hurting a brand.

There are other personal Twitterers that I am following – I swear and I ain't lying – they sometimes post 40+ Tweets every 30 minutes – all day, every day sometimes more – that is like one every 30 seconds. I am not judging these folks (I can think of 5 in particular)  but come on… Twitts are about micro content no? They are about updates and interesting tidbits or even some humour?

These border on psychosis. OCD comes to mind. I don't really need an update every 30 seconds. Trust me. It is cool. Someone profound once said – "We can't miss ya if you don't go away!"

This reminds me of when desktop publishing came on the scene. We saw so much "shadow type" you couldn't read the messages for the crappy fonts.

As The Cluetrain states – "Once we get tired of hearing ourselves talk – we will see what the Net is really about."

Now is a great time to start, no?

If you are Blogging or Tweeting to get Net celebrity status, you are misdirected. Don’t Blog to get known – Blog to become known as someone who is knowledgeable!

And truthfully – no one gives a shit if you are having coffee, or having a pissy day, or just got up, or are eating lunch, or are going shopping, or are making brownies, or are putting the kids to bed , or are  … or are …or are

Let's try and raise the bar.. OK?

Photo credit: Leah Nash for The Oregonian

2 Comments

  1. Soniac
    Soniac December 18, 2008

    Amen.

  2. miro
    miro December 19, 2008

    make mine a double and add a halleluya

Comments are closed.