Branding Personality Gone Astray

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By: Cindy Wendland

When the CIA launched their Twitter account, it seemed like everyone had jumped on the Facebook and Twitter bandwagon. There was nothing wrong with that. As long as the brand message stays consistent across platforms, social media can be a supportive tool. The problem seems to be that some organizations think their tone and personality should change on Twitter.

The Education Department recently had to apologize for an inappropriate tweet. They weren’t the first one. The Education Department tweet depicted a scene from the movie "Bridesmaids" with the words "Help me. I'm poor" imprinted on it as part of an effort to get students to apply for federal aid. It offended many people with its insensitivity.

What some social media staff need to remember is that the tone on Twitter is lighter and more carefree, but it is not a comedy stage. Twitter is a convenient way to engage people, but it still must be consistent with your other branded messages. If the message wouldn’t be something you would put on a billboard with your logo, then don’t put it on Twitter either.

Hashtags and Twitter handles are ingenious ways of creating messages and communicating with customers and partners. Play on Twitter’s strengths and leave the comedy to those on stage.

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About the Author

Cindy Wendland has a background in marketing and finance. She is the creative director for an online men's health magazine, BrainBrawnBody.com, and she gets to write their leisure/travel blog. She is also a web designer helping her clients with online community engagement, websitesbywendland.com. Prior to her web years, she worked in pharmacy consulting.

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