That's because they didn't do it first and they didn't offer up anything useful. No, they all stroke each other dicks and offer you a sticker for the privilege to watch. - Anika

<whisper>I thought it was cool</whisper> - Bec Rowe @d0tski

I think everyone is STILL missing the point and it really bothers me for some reason. #backlashton? Seriously? LOL - Rah-PM 2012

I don't see the problem. What I see is 1: He's using his celebrity/cewebrity to shine a spotlight on a very important, yet underfunded cause, and 2: He's helping to popularise SM- where *we* decide what we want to see/read/hear, rather than the traditional media deciding for us. I smell sour grapes, and celebrity bashing for the sake of it. JMHO. - - Bec Rowe @d0tski

For anyone who actually watched any of his videos or saw him talk on Oprah, he actually knows more about Social Media than many social media bloggers...just sayin. I think it's definitely bashing for the sake of it and I don't understand how people aren't seeing the downside of that. It's like ripping out your eye to spite your face. - Rah-PM 2012

Black Ashton?.... Oh wait... - tehKenny

I'm fine with this all if we call it what it should be called. Marketing. 1,000,000 followers isn't social media. There's not social relationship or meaningful dialog going on. It's marketing. It's business. http://www.blindfiveyearold.com/asocial... Some do it well, others not so much. But the idea that it's 'conversational' is bunk. - AJ Kohn

Let's review. We're talking about followers, here. We're not talk about followING. every person on the entire planet could follow me on Twitter, that does not mean I have to engage each individual in actual direct discussion in order to make change in the world. All that's required is to engage with a few and for the rest to at least listen to the message. Asocial? I don't think so. Marketing? Yes. - Rah-PM 2012

Really? You use SM to look at ships? ;-) - Ladyepiphanybug

Fixed :) - Rah-PM 2012

@Rah: Asocial Media = Marketing in my book so ... semantics but we're on the same page for the most part I think. - AJ Kohn

So, are we to never request anyone to follow us? No matter what scale it's on, it's marketing...therefore asocial, correct? Even that little "follow me on Twitter" badge is marketing. - Rah-PM 2012

When did marketing become a dirty word? - Bec Rowe @d0tski

@Rah: Why do you want 'followers' and again, think about that term. Nearly all of it is marketing - because you want to get your message out. So the badge, marketing for sure. I mean, if they're your 'real' friends they might follow you on Twitter but you're likely not soliciting them to do it. You're IMing them anyway, you actually have conversations. That's social. Twitter ... it's marketing. - AJ Kohn

Bec++. I agree with you as well, Abby. The thing is that there was no avoiding that level of publicity given the players involved. - Rah-PM 2012

@Bec: It's not in my book. I'm a marketer and I think marketing is fantastic. I'll crow about the most hated of marketing - SEO. Marketing is good. But I'm tired of people trying to make Twitter into something that isn't marketing ... it's 'social media, not marketing' they say. 'It's conversations, not marketing' they shout. And I'm saying loud and clear, social media (Twitter in particular) is marketing. Call it what it is and don't pretend otherwise. - AJ Kohn

Everything in life is some level of marketing and some level of sales. Ask a girl out on a date, you're trying to sell her. You get spiffied up for an interview, that's marketing. Right now, my dog is giving me "the eyes" because she wants a treat. She's trying to sell me. Every exchange ends with someone getting sold. I'm not sure why it matters whether we acknowledge SM as marketing or not. The end result is the same. - Rah-PM 2012

I'm arguing that calling it social media is code for people who don't like marketing to ... actually do marketing. That makes my stomach queasy. Be proud of using a new technology to forward your marketing instead of hiding behind some new buzzword and cling to the cluetrain manifesto. - AJ Kohn

@Rah: I'm irked at the hypocritical nature of people who say it isn't marketing. That it's some new paradigm. It's just not IMO. Just like the folks who blog and then say SEO is bunk and evil. Great, if you think so, then do me a favor and put a big ol' 'NOINDEX' tag on your blog. - AJ Kohn

[am I making any sense here or do I need another cup of coffee] - AJ Kohn

Also, in my marketing efforts here on FF and on Twitter, I have made thousands of connections. Many of which have become friends. I think we are on the same page, though, AJ. It is marketing, but I think it's more than just marketing and to label it as simple marketing will give potential new users the wrong idea. - Rah-PM 2012

@Rah: True, there's actually a bit of real 'social' that gets done amid the marketing. FF ... it's a different beast for me. I view it as a data hub ... part of that data is social and that's fine. Certainly marketing going on too - heck ... I dropped a link to my blog in this very thread! :) Always enjoy your perspective Rah. - AJ Kohn

I think we're all on the same page AJ, we're just arguing semantics. My definition of Social Media is similar to the definition over on Wikipedia: "Social media is information content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies." - Bec Rowe @d0tski

MDVB, I'd like to think his goals are noble, and that he isn't looking for personal gain. I've been wrong before, tho. - Bec Rowe @d0tski

Let's say it was all a scheme to promote CNN and Ashton Kutcher. Ashton still donated 100,000 to Malaria No More and the CEO of Twitter was still sitting next to Oprah on TV. Millions of people still saw the message that an average person can build a huge following in social media and challenge old media giants. (sure, it was easier for Ashton than any of us, but not impossible) - Rah-PM 2012

Yup. Seeing what happens next will be very interesting. I'm optimistic, I have high hopes. - Bec Rowe @d0tski

@Mark: Don't know what his goals are. Probably a mix of things. That's kind of immaterial to me. In terms of monetization ... sure. He could send out a message to contribute to his mosquito net cause. There's a link. x% of people click link. x% contribute. Oprah can do the same with her newest book club selection. Followers are just a type of customer list (think email). They're just signing up for a personal brand. - AJ Kohn

Marketing and the common good and/or philanthropy are not mutually exclusive. I worked 8+ years doing fund raising (aka marketing) for education. [edit] And I try to work for places that have some positive cause (Alibris.com = books/literacy and Caring.com = eldercare) - AJ Kohn

AJ, did you read my post on that subject? Please don't equate Twitter with mailing lists. We don't want these old-school or even the newb marketers using the wrong techniques (auto-responders, etc.) LOL :) - Rah-PM 2012

@Rah: I have not, but I shall! Unfortunately, I think that's already happening. But again, there's a good way and a bad way to do that. Bad email marketers and great email marketers. I feel you though, the get rich quick fellas and squidoo pimpers are out in force already. - AJ Kohn

With you here Rahsheen. No hate on my part. Saw some people tweeting about the problems with that mosquito net charity. I wait for the perfect charitable org to emerge. Meantime, just get things going. - Hutch Carpenter

From what I've seen of him on this subject, it seems his main goal is to call attention to emerging technologies that help people communicate. But if he can boost himself a little in the process, no harm in that. Given the risk of total backlash its a gamble either way. May as well do something than nothing. - Tony Miller

As for SM in general, I think it can be marketing, and in a lot of examples it is. But it certainly doesn't have to be, and in a lot more examples its just another form of communication. - Tony Miller

Man's gotta eat, right? :) -- I was actually thinking about a post you wrote a while back that kinda has something to do with this. I'll have to try and figure out which one it was... - Rah-PM 2012

I tend to take the position of actors with a grain of salt. They do, after all, make their living pretending to be someone/ something they are not. - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

Rah, are you thinking of Marshall Kirkpatrick's "Twitter is Paying My Rent" post? http://marshallk.com/twitter... - Mike Doeff

@Steven Interacting w/ someone face-to-face is more likely a genuine interaction, an actor in front of a camera is (likely) a professional 'in their office.' (a cynical view for sure) That said, you are absolutely right, blanket statements can never be taken at face value. (except for that one...) - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

I think all of us would agree that your job does not make you who you are. - Rah-PM 2012

Definitely examples that prove otherwise, but we shouldn't automatically make assumptions about people based on their line of work. - Rah-PM 2012

I fall into the anti-assumption camp too, but I'll still take my 'grain of salt.' - Rob Michael (Atmos Trio)

@Steven: Ah, but you know I'm a marketer. I just have to change your adjective choice when you speak about me personally. Trust me, there are scads (great word I think) of scummy marketers. They give good ones a bad rap. - AJ Kohn

Rahsheen, I'm 100% on @aplusk's side. Twitter is coming of age. I agree that Ashton gets it, but now there are plenty of other dipping their feet into the Twitter pool for the first time. This is what coming of age is all about. Unlike Facebook, Twitter makes sense after you get in and play with it for awhile. So I say congrats @aplusk and congrats @ev. - Mike Reynolds