Tina Dupuy at FishbowlLA covered Ashton Kutcher’s recent talk at Fortune Magazine’s Brainstorm Tech Con in Pasadena. Below are a few key points she put together about why Kutcher Tweets. With nearly 3 million followers, he’s definitely a prolific user. But will he be the biggest loser if the medium fails?
“I shut down a website everyday because I send too much traffic there from my Twitter feed.” The entrepreneur/entertainer told the crowd and his onstage interviewer.AdvertisementWhen asked why he tweets Kutcher admitted that it’s fun. He keeps in touch with his audience and it’s a platform to syndicate content. “I started Twitter as a communication device to stay in touch with fans.”
He’s not an accidental tourist of tech. He seems to know exactly what he’s doing and why it has value. “Do you know how much studios pay to get in touch with an actors audience?!” asked Kutcher. “I do all that with a touch of a button.”
Serwer wondered about the fact that he has more followers than CNN on Twitter. Kutcher replied,”I’m shocked that an individual could have as much influence [in social media] than a media conglomerate.”
He said his new film The Killers needed a joke for a scene so he got on Twitter and asked his fans for suggestions. And he got them. Tons. “I don’t know if it will end up in the final cut.” No word on if the fan would get a credit or payment.
Why does Twitter work, asked Serwer. “It’s the ability to create viral syndication quickly,” responded Kutcher.
Which all leads back to advertising and the ability to sell whatever product to a growing audience who has grown immune to the old models. “Banner ads are like billboards,” said Kutcher. Meaning people are so used to them they no longer see them. He stated that entertainment and advertising “they are going to have to marry each other in a deeper way.”
Check out the rest of Dupuy’s coverage at FishbowlLA dot com.