Life in the Stream

Time:2010-02-11 18:35:58 Source:Ezinearticles Author:Rebel Brown

I watched the Super Bowl at home last night. I'm sick with a flu bug so I stayed away from the party rather than playing the role of Typhoid Rebel. Wow! What an eye opening experience that was. Not because of staying home alone. And not because of the game - which was great.

The WOW was because of what I learned.

It all started out simply enough. I was Tweeting with a couple of gal friends as the coin was tossed, then the game began - and then the ads started.That's when the fun began.

It wasn't the game that everybody was commenting on. It was the ads! And what comments they were. OMG! My Twitter stream went from this powerful, positive information-filled environment to a running stream of sarcastic comments whose seeming purpose was to diss every advertising firm involved. When did we become so hard to please? It's a football game!

But then I noticed some other comments - from people who loved the first round of ads, and the next and the next. Positive, upbeat, heart-filled and supportive. These people also commented on the game itself, interacting with a light-hearted, upbeat spirit - like they were at a real football game. They were reveling in the celebration. It was such fun to share the game and the whole experience with them!

That's when it hit me.

Twitter is a real time audience feedback mechanism!

I created two new TD columns for these sets of Tweeps - added the folks who were online and active. I also added a third column - for all the folks who were on Twitter but who hadn't said a single word about the game so far.

I watched those three columns between plays, and I learned so much!

* The cool Tweeps - the ones who were dissing everything in sight - pretty much kept on doing just that. No matter what was happening. They dissed the ads, the plays, called The Who a bunch of old men who needed to be in nursing homes. Sarcasm must be the new chic???

* The happy Tweeps - the ones who were enjoying the game - commented about everything that was happening, straight from their hearts. They liked some ads, didn't like some ads and discussed why and why not. They didn't try to be important or cool - they were having fun AND providing real feedback on every $3M spent. And BTW - the guys tended to like pretty much the same ads, across the board. Imagine that.

* The hard-working Tweeps kept focused on their normal, every Sunday afternoon kinda Tweets. Not one of them mentioned the game, ever. And yes, they were in the US.

* A fourth category came along about halfway through the game. The women who were offended by Bridgestone and GoDaddy and other ads they felt were chauvinistic. This stream grew larger and more vocal by the end of the game. Another audience segment speaking their truth!

So what's my point?

Huge audiences are alive and speaking on Twitter. Every audience demographic we could imagine is active on Twitter! I filtered 4 profiles last night - but there are infinite possibilities.

I felt like I was in the Matrix!

We can now access the most powerful, real-time feedback ever available. Even better - it's unfiltered, uninfluenced and the raw truth. Well at least in most cases. We do need to consider the source.

In Twisten Carefully, I wrote about an HBR article that suggested Twitter needed more 'Important' information'. I disagreed. Twitter as filled with rich, in depth information, there for our taking.

Today, I see it's even more powerful. What do YOU think? Tweet me @rebelbrown:)

In over 20 years as a strategic consultant I've led more than 100 successful client engagements. I help companies grow by creating market strategies, redefining companies and products, launching these same companies and powering successful sales and marketing endeavors. My clients tell me I have a unique ability to understand technology and pinpoint its value - and then deliver a go-to-market strategy that works.

I'm currently putting the finishing touches on my book, Defying Gravity, available fall of 2010.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebel_Brown

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