Why I don't want a @mentoskiss

I’ve been meaning to do this post for a while – @mentoskiss has created a Twitter account to what I’m guessing is promoting their new Cube range, as well as their sponsorship with Australian Idol. But to be honest, if I hadn’t looked up the Australian Idol website (because I don’t watch the show), I wouldn’t have known the latter reason for the account. Not to seem bitchy, but this is probably one of the worst Twitter campaigns I have seen in a LONG time.

My reasoning:

1. Yes, Twitter is a conversation tool, but it doesn’t help conversing with just celebrities or RT people who have tweeted about Australian Idol
2. I have absolutely no idea what you are promoting from looking at your tweets
3. Your ‘personality’ sounds like a fake bimbo
4. Your product is so cheap, a Twitter giveaway would have been extremely effective
5. There is no excuse for you to be “warming into things” a month after you set up an account (n.b. I provided the admin some feedback on Twitter at the start of August and they said that I should be nice and that they were warming into Twitter.. it seems they’ve deleted the comment)
6. What is the PeckPashPoke application you are trying to advertise? I haven’t heard anything about it
7. Your URL link is to MySpace

Now, I’m not trying to go on a witchhunt here and completely blast the brand, because their product is very good. But if any business is going to start a profile on Twitter you NEED to know what you are doing! Twitter has the Business 101 Presentation that you can look at for easy tips on how to create a Twitter account.

However, here are some more tips for the Mentos guys to think about with utilising their account:

1. Stop Tweeting with Celebrities, and start getting to key target points to increase your follower account. Tweeting to Pedestrian Daily is a start – but try and start conversations with accounts who have a high follower rate
2. Do NOT start a tweet with @ – as with the #FixReplies problem, only that person plus any person who has subscribed to you and the recipient will receive the tweet in their news feed
3. Start promoting your product in your Tweets – links to the PeckPashPoke application, Mentos website OR Australian Idol website would be a smart move, especially seeing you have an Australian Idol promotion going on
4. Stop sounding slutty/dumb (i.e. don’t finish tweets with xoxo or say you’re being baffled) and make it sound like you’re a fun and flirty brand – there is a difference, and it is hard to differentiate but you need to make this distinction
5. GIVE AWAY FREE PRODUCTS! Being a student, I love free stuff, and I don’t know anyone within my age group (which I believe I’m square in the middle of at 20y.o.) who doesn’t. I sent you a list of brands who have done an amazing job including UBank, IMAX, Levis and MTV Australia who have all given away free products in some way. Get people to Retweet an advertising campaign or link, because most people on Twitter will do a small advertising tweet to get something for free.
6. Do your research on how to use Twitter before you start Tweeting – there is seriously no excuse for not being completely organised before you start any other advertising promotion, and Twitter is no different.
7. Link to your official website or Australian Idol promotion website. MySpace is so 2006.

P.S. If anyone from Mentos is reading this, I’m happy to have a chat with you – comment back, or @jessnichols me on Twitter.

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