Celebs Embrace Social Media On-Line Megaphone to Build Brand Bank Accounts; Get On the Bus or Get Run Over By It.

Like it or leave it, according to today's front page of the NYT Sunday Business section,  celeb's use of social media (think Facebook and Twitter) has become a cottage industry for algo and data mining geeks who can turn cottage cheesy celebs into brand icons--and more importantly, introduce a data point for sponsored spokespeople's agents that can be used as a tipping point during contract negotiations.

Sure, you've heard this all before; marcom gurus have been touting social media for dozens of months, but now its gone institutional, and it's a practice area that hasn't gone unnoticed by the most brand burnishing Baristas. Case in point: :the who's who backers of  "theAudience", the most recent digital media consigliere to capture the mind share of marketing and sponsorship execs. Underwriters of this shop include William Morris Endeavor, Lionsgate, Universal Pictures — and one tech superstar, Sean Parker,
 
"..After largely ignoring social media — allowing fake Facebook pages to proliferate, sticking with tried-and-true publicity stops like “Entertainment Tonight” — stars and agents are realizing en masse that they need to get on that train.."

The British comedian Russell Brand says theAudience has helped him sell out shows “without any paid advertising”; the company also advises him on where to route tours, based on the geography of his fan base. “It’s a smart way to talk to my fans directly and in a bespoke manner,” Mr. Brand says.

The take-away: whether you're a fading star or an aspiring A-lister, social media + computer geek guidance is a low-cost strategy that can (according those who charge fat fees for finessing your message and build your follower list in a manner that builds your brand bank account.