Twitter Reporter

Deutsche Telekom wanted to transfer its brand promise Life is for Sharing into the real world of customers while presenting itself as an innovative technical enabler. Weber Shandwick has been working with the telecommunications giant to engage with younger consumers in Germany.

Objectives

• Communicate with young, digitally interested consumers
• Reach this target audience on an emotional level and enthuse them to share exciting moments using technology

Strategy

Consumers are selected via online, print, TV and radio partners and given VIP entry to exclusive events and encouraged to share their favourite moments by live tweeting. They are known as Twitter Reporters. These activities are built around the strategy of improving perceptions of Telekom and reinforcing its Life is for Sharing brand promise to a younger audience via Twitter and other digital channels.

Tactics

Advanced social media analysis and traditional strategic planning are used to identify partners and events that allow full brand implementation.

New events are proposed quarterly and  those covered to date have included Munich's famous Oktoberfest, a Katy Perry record release,  the Berlinale Talent Campus for up-and-coming film-makers, video games fair Gamescom and the FIFA Women's Soccer World Cup.

Twitter-Reporters are equipped with smart phones, thereby positioning Telekom as an enabler, and briefed on using the device and the right hashtags for maximum impact and effectiveness. Pictures are taken of each winner and the Twitter community and Facebook fans are told who is reporting.

Media partners often amplify by using their own Twitter channel to flag up what is going on and separate channels are created for larger events such as this summer's FIFA Women's World Cup.

Evaluation (short term tangible outcome)

Of the events in 2011, the Berlinale in February had a media reach total of 91,500 contacts, with a social media reach of 59,132. The Telekom Street Gig with Swedish singer Robyn in March in Hamburg had a media reach of over 1.1m and a social media reach of 162,615. Finally, the FIFA Women's Soccer World Cup which took place over a three week period in June and July in nine different cities in Germany had a traditional media reach total of over 81.76m contacts and a social media reach of 3.29m.

Separate to the Twitter channel and Facebook page, the dedicated www.twitter-reporter.net site received 8.813 visits between June 2010 and September 2011.

Results (medium/longer term business outcome)The total contact reach for 2010-11 is over 207 million and rising as the campaign continues. These are big numbers but the reach only tells part of the story. By appealing to a younger target group in a relevant way via their preferred channels, the campaign is positively moving perceptions of Telekom away from its state-owned past ( positive sentiment over 61%).

Consequently, Telekom is increasingly seen as a dynamic and innovative brand whose technology allows young consumers to communicate in a way that suits them. Working in partnership with – and offering access to – cool events is further enhancing Telekom's reputation.