The newest way to send an affectionate message this Valentine's Day comes with a social media twist: "Tweet Me."
Twitter and Sweethearts candy today will unveil plans to stamp Tweet Me on the familiar heart-shaped, fruity candy that has embraced short messages long before Twitter was even a glitter.
For Sweethearts, the move accelerates commercial tie-ins for the 145-year-old brand. For Twitter, it's a freebie public relations coup with serious mojo.
And for the nation's marketers, it's yet another savvy step into the virtual world and away from conventional advertising.
The not-so-subtle message within the message: You can't even bite into Valentine's Day candy any more without getting a commercial message.
"This is an indication of the new media yet to come," says Patricia Martin, cultural guru and author of Renaissance Generation: The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business . "It's a new way of advertising when two brands get together to create cultural meaning. That's very different from creating a 30-second TV spot."
Your odds of landing a Sweetheart candy that actually says Tweet Me: about one in 80. That's because there are 79 other phrases in use this year.
"We've always been short and sweet," says Jackie Hague, vice president of marketing at New England Confectionery, maker of Sweethearts.
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