This was for a talk I gave with Michael Bissell at Adweek's Social Media Strategies Conference in San Francisco on 9/22/09. It highlights the importance of twitter for brands and introduces the concept of Brand Fiction: unbranded entertainment in the service of a brand.

1. a few thoughts from @Bissell @AdBroad twitter for brands

2. who the hell are we? brandfictionfactory.com

3. first came computers the size of cruise ships brandfictionfactory.com

4. when the web went civilian, it was bulletin boards brandfictionfactory.com

5. in 2006 a messaging system for geeks brandfictionfactory.com

6. that exploded into an uberforce of 21 million, including tweeters from outer space brandfictionfactory.com

7. no wonder so many brands want to be there brandfictionfactory.com

8. but don’t twitter just because everyone else does brandfictionfactory.com

9. in the twitterverse, not all brands are created equal Some are “Prom King Brands meaning everyone wants to hang with them.” --Alan Wolk author, creative strategist brandfictionfactory.com

10. like sports brands… brandfictionfactory.com

11. entertainment brands… brandfictionfactory.com

12. brands whose logos you’ll happily carry brandfictionfactory.com

13. but what can other brands do to engage followers? brandfictionfactory.com

14. offer real-time customer service brandfictionfactory.com

15. or valuable discounts (always welcome) brandfictionfactory.com

16. or inside information brandfictionfactory.com

17. or even simple amusement brandfictionfactory.com

18. don’t talk first. listen brandfictionfactory.com

19. your brand is being defined by what others are saying about it advice from Don Draper: If you don’t like what people are talking about, change the conversation. brandfictionfactory.com

20. broadcast to multiple channels you can’t control brandfictionfactory.com

22. you can’t be part of a conversation you’re not listening to brandfictionfactory.com

23. words associated with “Tupperware” on Noah Brier’s brandtags.com brandfictionfactory.com

24. business reputations that take years and millions to build can now be impacted by a single tweet brandfictionfactory.com

25. listening can turn lemons brandfictionfactory.com

26. into lemonade brandfictionfactory.com

27. in customized flavors brandfictionfactory.com

29. decide who will tweet. remember that tweeting takes time and marketing smarts. look for a bit of a ham. brandfictionfactory.com Don’t assign it to someone just because they know twitter. That’s like trusting your customer service department to someone because they know how to use a phone.

30. don’t trust a zombie. your bot will show. brandfictionfactory.com

31. Streamline guidelines and oversight policy to allow for speed and agility in response. Twitter is about real time. Tweeters can’t be left in the air until lawyers get back from lunch. brandfictionfactory.com

38. the best advertising on twitter doesn’t look like advertising campaign created by Deep Focus for AMC brandfictionfactory.com

39. twittertainment from Broadway twitter campaign by Situation Interactive for Broadway show “ Next to Normal” brandfictionfactory.com

40. twittertainment from the pulpit On Good Friday, 2009 Wall Street’s Trinity Church tweeted the Passion Play for three hours. brandfictionfactory.com

41. a new form of marketing: brand fiction brandfictionfactory.com

43. it allows others to participate in telling the brand story brandfictionfactory.com

44. and doesn’t stand alone, it’s part of a tactical mix brandfictionfactory.com

45. success depends on quality of content created brandfictionfactory.com

46. the first tweet’s the hardest brandfictionfactory.com

47. but it’s okay if your first post isn’t exactly right brandfictionfactory.com

48. Have patience. Twitter takes time. Like relationships do. brandfictionfactory.com