Twitter — and some very public Twitter mishaps — have been entertaining to read over the last couple of months. The most recent example is a Friday night tweet-fest and tirade produced by a Marc Jacobs Intl (@MarcJacobsIntl) intern who had time to post and pack before leaving the company. Seems that this temp insider was the social media manager while a Twitter-based search/promotion was in place to find the hire that would permanently hold the position.
Posting to the fashion brand’s official account, the anonymous insider shared his/her true feelings about the company’s CEO, Robert Duffy, calling him a “tyrant” and “difficult.” And as the night turned to morning, the “true confessions” continued to show up. Here’s the thread that’s making the rounds:
Duffy has been “presented… with 50 people,” but is “not happy” with any of them.
Duffy is a “tyrant” and @MarcJacobsIntl followers “have no idea how difficult Robert is. I am only an intern.”
“My last day is tomorrow. I wouldn’t be tweeting this if not!”
“Good luck! I pray for you all. If you get the job! I’m out of here. See ya! Don’t want to be ya! Roberts a tyrant! Seriously! He is tough!”
“I can call him out! I’m out! Won’t work in this town again! I know that! Learned a lot. But, I don’t have the energy for what is expected!”
“Yea, walk in my MJ shoes! Don’t judge me! I’m alone in this office having to try and entertain you all. This isn’t easy. I have tried. Done!”
By 4am Saturday all tweets were removed and replaced with:
“All is well here at MJ. Twitter is a crazy place. Protect your passwords.”
Twitter is “a crazy place” if you’re a brand without a social media strategy, plan and policies for implementation. Aflac fired Gilbert Gottfried (the voice of the duck/mascot for the last decade) for “insensitive” tweets post-tsunami. Chrysler fired agency, New Media Strategies, for the now-infamous f-bomb tweet. And the Green Bay Packers are convinced that they’re suffering from a “Twitter Curse.”
How often are we asked to fire up a Twitter feed, a Facebook page or other social media “must-have”? How often are clients prepared to look internally, at how they’ll manage the care-and-feeding of these fast-paced and very public forums? And how much “trouble” will they (and we, as their representatives or agencies) find themselves in, entertaining — and exasperating — those of us watching?