NBA Rookie Is Just So Happy To Play For 'Team Name' In The City Of 'City'
from the put-dept.-subtitle-here dept
It ain't easy being a high-profile celebrity these days. A job that once mostly involved ducking cameras and putting out the occasional press release has evolved into one where multiple social media platforms must be updated so that fans feel that real connection that can only come with a carefully managed social media message. The brand is the ultimate product rather than any athletic or artistic output. To that end, even these social media messages come with sponsorships, carefully cultivated relationships with large companies itching to attach their names to well-followed celebrities and their social media accounts.
Speaking of athletes, the NBA draft just happened. Many young men realized their dream to play in the NBA after years of hard work. Because they are young, many of those athletes have social media accounts with the expected platforms. And many of them posted messages about how happy they were with the draft day results. Like Markelle Fultz, for instance, who was drafted number one overall by the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers and immediately took to Instagram to let his fans know completely, organically and authentically how pleased he was.
"Excited to head to (City) and join the (team name)."—Markelle Fultz pic.twitter.com/eUzTf7fs46
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) June 23, 2017
Oops. In case you can't read the embedded tweet, Fultz said that he was "Excited to head to (City) and join the (team name)", all while happily pointing out that the message was sponsored by watchmaker Tissot. Clearly this was a pre-written template to send out on Instagram once it had been filled in, except Fultz never filled it in. While he deleted the message shortly after, it's unclear just how (insert emotion) Tissot was with the message.
More importantly, the curtain gets pulled back on Fultz's engagement with his followers. Certainly it's not the biggest deal in the world and most people are having a little light-hearted fun with Fultz's faux pas, but it does strike me that anyone that saw his Instagram account as a way to honestly engage with him likely knows better now.
Fultz, meanwhile, can likely console himself with whatever insane amount of money a number one overall pick gets these days. Here's hoping the Sixers don't forget to fill in the direct deposit template.
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Filed Under: markelle fultz, sponsorship, templates
Companies: instagram, nba
Reader Comments
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You know?
You know the "I cannot believe I won the gold medal. I cannot talk coherently before talking to my manager, the olympics P.R department and legal representation. This is all too much. I never prepared for this." kind.
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Hope he shows up on time...
He certainly is wearing enough watches to be promoting time pieces; now he (and they) need to make sure he shows up on time.
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Could have been legitimate.....
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20170613/09445137576/ncaa-forces-ucf-football-player-to-choose-bet ween-his-athletic-career-his-youtube-channel.shtml
I could see such a tweet being a not so subtle dig at the issue. But given his reaction, it wasn't the case, and he didn't think of it quickly enough to put such a spin on it.
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Re: Could have been legitimate.....
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Laughable or pathetic, not sure which.
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Re: Laughable or pathetic, not sure which.
Sure, the same minority as ever are able to use it as a tool to overthrow dictators, but for most, it's echo-chambers, bluster, and cloying self-righteousness.
Which are you?
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Re: Re: Laughable or pathetic, not sure which.
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[Subject]
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Companies can show emoticons, not emotions.
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My mistake. But it could happen anytime in the future. And then the guy would be sued by Rowling.
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