Twitter’s new CMO kicks off marketing push to lure new users

A series of videos and digital ads will aim to challenge idea that members are “supposed to tweet everyday” and instead show how Twitter is a platform for everyday news, events and interests.

Twitter’s recently appointed CMO Leslie Berland is launching a marketing push to attract new users as it looks to dispel myths around the platform and how to use it and position Twitter as a place to “see what’s happening everywhere in the world right now”.

The campaign will use the strapline ‘See what’s happening’ and will include a series of video and digital ads. Initial spots show big events in culture, such as the TV series Game of Thrones, the news including the US presidential elections and sports such as the upcoming Olympic Games. It also highlights interests such as cycling and travelling.

In the UK, the same message will be used but content will be customised to a local audience so will show interests and events that may be relevant to them.

Read more: Twitter at 10 – How the site is pivoting from a social network to an interest network

In a blog post outlining the plans, Berland admits that while Twitter has 90% global recognition, too many people that don’t use the service do not know or misunderstand what it is for. Many, she explains, see it as a social network and are under the impression that they are “supposed to tweet every day”.

“We realised we had some explaining to do!” she writes. “Starting today, we’re taking steps to express what we’re for and what we have always been. Twitter is where you go to see what’s happening in the world right now.”

Berland took on the CMO role in January with a remit to boost user growth by better telling the story behind its product and why people should be using it. Although Twitter has more than 300 million users, growth has stagnated and its audience has been overtaken by other social sites such as Instagram and Snapchat. That has had a knock-on effect on revenues and caused mounting concern over its future growth prospects.

It has done some above-the-line marketing in the past, launching its first TV campaign in the US to promote its ‘Moments’ service, which aims to collate tweets around a specific subject. Twitter had previously appointed Lucky Generals to prep a campaign in the UK but those plans have been put on hold.

Festival

There is a whole stage dedicated to social media at the Festival of Marketing, which is running on the 5 and 6 October at Tobacco Dock, London. For more information about the event, including how to book tickets, click here.

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