Skittles candy by Mars Snack Food, LLC took full advantage of social media and user generated content (UGC) today in a Web 2.0 social media blitz. As I sit here and write this, I am in complete awe of their genius. So, what is the scuttlebutt on Skittles?
Skittles Candy Goes Full Web 2.0!
Skittles.com, the product’s Website, now has just a small navigation box to guide users through a broad grouping of Web 2.0 user-generated content (UGC) sites such at Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, and Facebook. The homepage now points to the real-time search at Twitter, which shows very near real-time results for what people are saying about Skittles. The “Media” link leads you to their YouTube account, the “Friends” link leads you to their Facebook page, and even the individual products lead to their Wikipedia page! It truly is the greatest show of appreciation and understanding of today’s social media and the value it represents.
Is the Skittles Web 2.0 Move Risky?
The move for Skittles candy into a complete Web 2.0 site is truly genius, but is the Skittles Web 2.0 move risky? I have heard concerns about of people using the #skittles hashtag on Twitter to promote themselves or to say mean things about Skittles. In fact, I have seen some not-so-pleasant things there already. Using the #skittles hashtag means that anybody sending a tweet on Twitter can have their message on the Skittle homepage just by adding “#skittles” to the tweet. With this concern in mind, it is hard to guess how long this will last, but in any case, it certainly is a bold move.
In my opinion, Skittles has embraced a trend of social media that is poised for tremendous success. Even if there was an attempted attack on Skittles’ Web 2.0 implementation, I truly doubt that it would be as strong as the Internet’s fascination with and respect for the move.
What do you think about Skittles’ Web 2.0 campaign?
I would like to hear from you. What do you think about the Skittles Web 2.0 campaign. Is it risky? Will it last? Do you like it? Please give me your comments.