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TWITTER and Don Draper - HUGE PROBLEM

I love talking to the characters on Twitter. All of them stay in character and you feel like you are really talking to the person in the show. It's exciting and great marketing! Except for one major flaw. Don Draper, the one everyone wants to talk to, is totally miscast on twitter and RUDE to the point of avoidance. The higher-ups need to replace this guy ASAP.

The challenge is that Don keeps his own counsel, can be abrupt, and is a man of few words. However, since the POINT of twitter is MARKETING and to get people to watch the show, there needs to be a way to keep him in character while letting people enjoy the sublime experience of talking with a main character. People want to feel they are part of the process. His answers run the gamut of two variations. The "you are wrong" post, which happens frequently, and the pouring another drink line. He has written the rudest things to fans, and frankly after two put-downs to me, I stopped twittering him. An excited fan posted that he saw Jon Hamm on a flight - and Jon was really nice. What is twitter Don's one sentence response: "It wasn't me." Wow, I guess that fan had his balloon punctured fast. Someone else twittered to see about getting a copy-writing job. His obnoxious response: "I would never hire you because of your horrific presentation." Someone asks about his wife, one sentence response: "I never discuss my family." I twittered that I saw him on the street in front of SC while I was talking with Paul Kinsey. His engaging one sentence response: "You were mistaken." (Other characters attempt to move the story forward realizing the game that is being played. Not good ole Don.) I then say I know it was him because two people said it was and they both said he seemed stressed. His snappy response: "Don't believe what you hear." The other 50% of his twitters note he is drinking rye; it is mentioned so often (I guess because it dosen't take much imaginative thinking), I'm starting to think Don's an alcoholic. There is not one single iota of cleverness in his twitters. He's a one -trick pony and he's supposed to be the ironic clever guy on the show. Unfortunately, it reflects poorly on the show. Draper was my favorite character, he simply isn't anymore, even though I know it's all based on this one jack-ass twittering as Don. I just noticed now that someone else once again responded to Don with a "I'm sorry if I offended you..." The point of twitter is to MARKET THE SHOW and create a sense that you are part of the events. All the other characters (or the ones I have interacted with) have the process down perfectly. They engage the poster, while staying in character and make you WANT to talk to them more. I cannot emphasize enough that you are doing a grave disservice to the show and Jon Hamm by having the Don Draper character on twitter coming off as an asshole. I hope someone reads this and replaces twitter Don with someone who can write engaging ironic and clever copy while staying in character. Don Draper is off my twitter list for now.
FYI, one of the best posters is Roger Sterling! Very very clever and engaging.

Comments

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You do understand that AMC initially tried to shut down the twitter connection because they could not control the characters, right?

Marketing experts and advertisers talked them into allowing it to continue temporarily. There was even a blog about it on this site.

I'm sad to hear it is not going well. I see how it could be used as a marketing tool, and also see the disadvantage when someone is not representing a character (one created by Weiner) positively.

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....maybe they should change it to a Survivor scenario where the present incumbent has to hold onto the spot, or be voted off for the next guy.

they could use a ratings point system, kind of like they do on here for posts.

i mean, the community has to have a little say in it, right?

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I don't know anything about Twitter and their use of Mad Men characters, but it seems to me, if they are not affiliated in anyway with Mr. Weiner and the show, wouldn't this be a form of plagiarism? I would think it is pretty generous of Mr. Weiner to allow it to continue.

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I love playing with the Twitterers! It's like fanfic, but in 3-D. I can't really comment on Don, since I've never participated with him and I'm not really interested in his character, but I really enjoy some of the others like Sal, Ken and Paul. It's always a little thrill when, out of those thousands, they respond to you. And I agree, Roger is awesome!

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The people that play the characters have no affiliation with Weiner or AMC. Weiner's reluctance to allow their character's names to be used is valid because they have no control over how the characters act. As long as the interaction with the character is positive, all goes well. Camile1969 had a bad experience. Things will change when/if negative behavior continues.

Camile1969....
How do you get to become one of those characters? Is it first come, first served on who plays whom? So the yodel who was rude to you is someone who just first to ask to do it?

I know who I would love to play!

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....speaking of rude, does this site have a forum conduct policy yet?

would it be worth anything to put one up?

just a thought....

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The WE is AMC...not us...
I've mentioned it more than once because I think it would be a good idea to have one. It also defines the lines of propriety for this posting community.
Are we tolerating profanity or asking posters to use asterisks for one or more vowels in their expletives? etc., etc., etc....

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I don't do twitter. It has no appeal for me whatsoever since it is NOT the show we all love but merely an unauthorized cartoon version of the real thing. So sue me - I'm a purist.

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