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#Power of Tweeple

Twitter emphasises the power of collective in its first ever campaign created for India

A hashtag means different things for different people. For some, it is a way to look for content on specific topics, for a few, it is a way of participating in social media conversations, and for others, it has even become a language of its own. Think #OOTD #YOLO or #TBT. But beyond all this, a hashtag is a powerful tool that, when used collectively, can create a huge impact in the society. This is the message that Twitter wishes to convey to its users through its first-ever campaign designed particularly for India.

India is one of the largest and fastest-growing audience markets for Twitter, and the company is keen on expanding its presence further. “We’re hoping this campaign will be relatable to young Indians, and can explain Twitter’s value proposition to them, inspiring them to believe that no Tweet is too small, when people Tweet together,” says Rishabh Sharma, head of brand strategy, Twitter India.

Created by Leo Burnett, the commercial conveys Twitter’s value proposition by using a fictional story and then connecting the story with real-life examples. The audience is first introduced to a group of youngsters who are discussing the origin of the word ‘hashtag’. One of them then narrates a story of how a simple hashtag, #NoShowerDay, born in a college hostel, snowballed into a significant movement led by the young India. “All this because of a small tweet,” quizzes one friend. And this is where the commercial cuts back to reality, of how hashtags have played a pivotal role in several social and political issues.

Be it paying tribute to your favourite sportsman with #ThankYouSachin, rooting for the striking down of Article 377 with #377Verdict, helping people by following live updates on #KeralaFloods, or encouraging women to share their stories of harassment through #MeTooIndia, the Twitter hashtag has been effective in a variety of use-cases.

“Our message is clear. We needed to show the youth, in their own style, how the nature of the platform can enable the young voice to form a collective and have a transformational impact on Indian society,” says Dheeraj Sinha, MD, India & CSO, South Asia, Leo Burnett. And with a humorous and effective storyline, Twitter has successfully hit the Tweet spot!