Ruth Speakman discusses Sony Europe's experience using Twitter over the past three years. She outlines how Sony Europe initially joined Twitter to engage with consumers and influence communities. Key lessons learned include identifying influential audiences rather than focusing on reach, maintaining a consistent yet personalized tone of voice, being willing to try new approaches, and proactively communicating activities rather than relying solely on Twitter. Looking ahead, Ruth Speakman envisions engaging new audiences, exploring new retail offers, deeper online-offline integration, and Twitter partnerships.

1. Ruth Speakman – Head of Consumer PR &
Social Media
Sony Electronics Europe

2. Once upon a time there was a
consumer electronics brand who
wanted to get onto Twitter...

3. Sony Europe on Twitter: a retrospective
Campaign
profiles
Sony
Europe
Foam
City
Bravia Brand
Bunnies profile
Communities of influence

4. We’ve got a brand
presence.
So what now?

5. Fitting Twitter into the mix
Use agreed
Real time Bespoke
SEO keywords Promote offers Drive traffic to
feedback for audiences
within social instantly to ODW from
customer grown to
media profiles social media social media
service support
to support followers profiles
enquiries campaigns
proliferation
Twitter integration
Customer ODW Home
SEO Promotions Campaigns
service page

6. How did we get here?
Over €1m
products
ordered
Further
Product discount offers
announcements planned
Twinterview Retail offers
Exclusive product Twinterviews
news and first reach average
person access to 1,500 followers 1,173 followers
events each (Dec 2009)
@replies and re-
tweets Interview
opportunity
encourage
conversation secured with The
Guardian
Football
team
Event support recruited
Meme discussion
Twilight Football

7. FTW*
*For the win (obvs)

8. Spotlight: Twilight Football
Twitter builds the excitement
and buzz during recruitment
phase
“we_are_football Goal.com
football: Sony Twilight
Football: See The Skills Of
The Players In Venice
http://bit.ly/ZQvhF”
Live reporting from
events
30 teams
submitted
entries to be
More focus on news and
chosen informative tweets
during events
Recruitment Event Celebration

9. Spotlight: Twitter as retail channel
10% of VAIO CTO offered to celebrate 1,000
followers of @SonyEurope
Over €1m worth of product ordered
Offer given as exclusive to three online
publications
Teaser tweets to promote offers

10. Spotlight: Guardian Eco
The Guardian (Online/UK)
32 million unique users per month (290K in France,
470K Germany, 180K Italy, 110K Poland)
58 questions received
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-
living-blog/2010/jan/18/you-ask-they-answer-
sony
“Dear Sony, thanks for making
yourself available for this interesting
Q&A”
Sony is the first consumer
“@SonyEurope @guardianeco thanks electronics brand to do a
for answering mine about #1010 !
(http://bit.ly/4wv8Ft)” Guardian Environment Q&A

11. Effective social media
integration

12. Twitter in the social media mix
Not all social media
Sony platforms are appropriate
Germany for all countries
Twitter is THE choice for
microblogging
Sony
Sony UK
France
Sony
Centrally-managed
Europe
platforms
(centrally
managed) Twitter as social media hub
• @SonyEurope used as focal point
for all activity
• Large community of influencers
Sony and consumers
Sony Italy
Spain • Ready made audience for
content on YouTube, Flickr and
Facebook
• Versatility of Twitter means it is
perfect for this role

13. Sony Europe on Twitter
– what have we learnt?

14. Learnings from three years on Twitter
Identify your audience, judging their influence, not reach
Have a consistent tone of voice, but make sure there is
personality
Be prepared to try new things
Tell people what you’re doing – don’t simply rely on Twitter
to spread the message

15. Where are we
going in the
future?

16. The future is unwritten
New
New retail
audiences
offers
engaged
Online/
Twitter
offline
partnerships
integration

17. Thank you
• ruth.speakman@eu.sony.com
• @sonyeurope
• www.youtube.com/sonyeurope
• presscentre.sony.eu