Storm Ideas have unveiled an official branded destination on their popular Twibbon site to reinforce The X Factor’s presence on social networking websites.
Working in association with ITV and FremantleMedia Enterprises, the destination launches to coincide with the live phases of the hit series this weekend. Building on a larger multi-platform strategy, this social media vehicle will reinforce the efforts to engage fans with their favourite entertainment brand. Additionally it’s the ideal complement to the official website (http://xfactor.itv.com/2009) which has just set new records achieving 1.7m page impressions last week.
It’s the first year where the performance and result shows have been split across the weekend on Saturday and Sunday nights and the voice of the viewer has become even more important, with a crucial 24 hour window during which the nation can deliberate over which contestant to back as excitement builds to the results show.
Using Storm’s viral brand awareness service, ‘Twibbon’, fans of the programme will be able to overlay an icon depicting their favourite of the twelve finalists onto their profile pictures on Twitter and Facebook.
Ben Ayers, Social Media Manager at ITV.com, said: “The X Factor is huge on Twitter and Facebook so we wanted to make it as easy as possible for fans to show their allegiance to their favourite X Factor act in a quick and visual way. Twibbon was the ideal solution.”
Commented Robert Marsh, VP, Interactive & Telephony, FME UK, “Managing a brand like The X Factor across a multitude of new media platforms requires creativity and great partners. Storm Ideas offered something that truly benefits the broader brand experience.”
Storm Ideas’ Bob Thomson said: “People can’t stop talking about The X Factor at work, at home and of course, online. We’re delighted to be contributing to the enormous buzz around the show going into the all important live phase with the official branded Twibbon destination.”
Storm Ideas’ Twibbon is part of an overall marketing campaign for The X Factor conceived by ITV and BBH, which uses the famous The X Factor ‘X’ positioned in a box, mimicking the well known election voting symbol to highlight the importance of viewers’ votes as they decide which contestant they are backing to win. The X Factor campaign will cut across a range of media including digital, outdoor, press and on-air promotions.
As well as showing their favourite act on their profiles, fans will also be able to download a Facebook application that will send the latest updates about their favourite contestant direct to their news feed and comment live on the show during transmission at ITV.com.
Visit the Twibbon destination at http://xfactor.twibbon.com