The Los Angeles Business Journal reports that Charlie Sheen’s Twitter was one of the most successful campaigns for Internships.com that ad.ly Inc. ever brokered.
The power of social networking is almost unprecedented with the growing number of users turning to sites like Facebook.com and Twitter.com to keep in contact with one another and exchange ideas. And of course advertising companies have taken notice. Especially groups like ad.ly who helped Charlie Sheen set up a Twitter account on March, 1, 2011.
Giving him the breakdown of how Twitter works Sheen posted a tweet expressing that he was, “looking to hire a #winning INTERN with #TigerBlood.” Embedded in the post was a link to Internships.com where perspective interns could apply. That day alone Internships.com received more than 95,000 clicks and 74,000 applications for the position making the site one of the biggest overnight sensations in internet history.
Other celebrities and advertising companies have taken notice. Despite that no hard numbers have been disclosed, on either how much each ad.ly charged Interships.com or paid Sheen for the tweet, it was estimated to be around $25,000 to $100,000 dollars or more for their services. Celebrities can also make around $200 to $25,000 per tweet, and there is no doubt that Sheen got his fair share.
Some people have stated, like Davie Brown Talent of the Marina del Rey Entertainment Practices, that having such publicity with the notorious actor could have a negative impact on companies like ad.ly and Internships.com. But a company spokeswoman from Internships.com replied that Sheen’s reputation was not factored in their decision. Probably because Sheen’s fan followings and negative hype have only helped to promote both companies regardless of how the actor seems to be garnering the attention. Either way the success of the campaign cannot be denied, nor the power and influence of social networking in today’s media market.
Read more:
www.labusinessjournal.com/news/2011/mar/14/startups-take-sheen-charlie
www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-quick-20110310,0,6939948.story