Twittering on about Skittles

I started work this morning at 9 o’clock. At that time people were waxing lyrical about the ‘intelligent’, ‘innovative’, ‘ground breaking’ or even ‘paradigm shifting’ use of Twitter on the new Skittles website.

There is much debate how Twitter can be used to benefit businesses. I have seen some businesses who use it and use it well. I have a client who I have convinced to use it. It can be more than a gimmick. Twitter can be used constructively to benefit a business.

At 12 o’clock today, before I have even had my lunch it has been announced that Skittles have removed the Twitter related feature from their new site. Apparently users have been flooding it with profanities.

Maybe this is the future of Twitter, a new tool for cyber happy slapping.

The real problem is that by using Twitter as they did Skittles lost control of the conversation. It is ths same story with protecting a brand online, when you lose control of the converation, when you open up the dialogue if you are not careful you will can end up tarnishing a brand.