by Jeremy Katz, Worldwide Editorial Director, Ogilvy & Mather

1. Celebritieson Twitter
4
Rules for
Looking
Marvelous
Online
by Jeremy Katz, Worldwide Editorial Director, Ogilvy & Mather

2. Celebrities on Twitter
5 Rules for Looking
Marvelous Online
BeAuthenticHave the good taste to
tweet for yourself.
Your followers can tell if you’re too self-important to type on your own
phone, and they won’t like it one bit. Such authenticity extends to product
endorsements. There may not be a church/state divide in the Twitter sphere
as there is in traditional media, but celebrities should disclose if they’re being
paid to talk something up. The public isn’t stupid and can tell if a promotion
is sponsored or not. And if you like something, talk about it, even if you aren’t
cashing checks. As Cannon said, “When Diddy posts a picture of himself
holding a couple of vodka bottles, that’s real. I believe Diddy really does
like vodka.”
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3. Celebrities on Twitter
5 Rules for Looking
Marvelous Online
Use it as a
toolSocial media should serve your needs. Mel B, the former Spice
Girl, said she uses Twitter for more than just fan connection. It’s
become a business tool. She explained that after posting a picture
of herself in a bikini, she was later approached to endorse a lingerie
line. Cannon said he’s learned to defang the paparazzi by openly
sharing pictures of his family online.
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4. Celebrities on Twitter
5 Rules for Looking
Marvelous Online
Informappropriately
Use Twitter to spread information that is of interest to your followers, but
consider how your opinions may be interpreted. Stewart happily raved about
the tomatoes Provençal she had last night, but said she avoids frothing about
hot-button issues such as politics. She sees herself as an editorial figure
and manages her twitter feed with the same editorial sensibility. Cannon,
as a comedian, said he “has no discretion on line,” an appropriate stance
considering his line of work.
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5. Celebrities on Twitter
5 Rules for Looking
Marvelous Online
grownupDon’t get into Twitter fights, as Cannon knows all to well. He told attendees
of how he used to get into tweet battles, responding to snarky comments and
escalating the war. Once the heat died down, he began to realize that was
probably fighting with 13-year-old kids. “Isn’t there a more productive use of
my time?” Cannon finally asked himself. Stewart said she refuses to respond
to antagonizing posters, while Mel B, who “has been called every name there
is,” just dismissed the haters as being unworthy of her attention.
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Be a