In the Twitterverse, the hashtag is used to assist users searching or following a particular topic. When there is breaking news or a popular conversation happening online, a particular hashtag might trend. In Charlottesville, and even nationally, the trial of a UVa student for the murder of a fellow UVa student has been trending with the hashtag of the accused’s last name: #Huguely.
In an appalling twist, a local newsweekly has decided to capitalize on the trend, tweeting the hashtag and connecting it to local restaurant features. A sampling of the offensive tweets appears below.
Brands much bigger than The Hook have tried this technique with disastrous results: Entenmann’s and Kenneth Cole have both tried “hashtag stuffing” making themselves look like complete asses.
Interesting that The Hook is following suit.
What do you think of this practice?
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/readthehook/status/172392738942234625″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/readthehook/status/172394090284060672″]
[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/readthehook/status/172402617123745792″]
Wow. Just…wow.
I seem to be one of the few people in this town who actually likes The Hook on a somewhat consistent basis. I don’t always agree with them, but I think they do a good job of being a real paper.
But frankly, I’ve been apalled by the way they’ve handled the Huguely case in public. Between the tweets that you referenced (along with dozens of earlier tweets) and Hawes Spencer’s antics discussing the trial on Coy Barefoot’s show, it has just driven me nuts. They’ve turned it into more of a circus than all of the out-of-town news media did.
wow. just nuts.
wow. just nuts.
wow. just nuts.
wow. just nuts.
That’s simply despicable; disgusting; and any number of other shameful words I’ll refrain from adding. An ungodly embarrassing display of trying to commercialize on such a tragic story.