Adweek has a fascinating interview with the country s first ever Twintern, or Twitter intern. Pizza Hut hired Alexa Robinson to manage their Twitter feed and has helped increase their feed’s reach from 3000 followers to over 15,000 during her tenure.
From the Adweek interview: {link no longer active}
I think the most surprising thing has been how open the senior management is to the fact that my position exists and of moving further into the social media space in general. I know a lot of companies are hesitant about getting involved in the online space, or they’re not sure it’s a place for their brand. None of that hesitation is present at Pizza Hut. It definitely reflects on the company as an innovative leader. Brands want to be where their consumers are, and where those consumers are having a conversation. You definitely want to be a part of that so you can contribute more. If your consumers are all on Twitter, why wouldn’t you join in?
How well Pizza Hut monetizes those 15K followers is anyone’s guess, but the Twintern position shows how important marketing has gotten for corporations wanting a foothold on Twitter.
