For a while now, Twitter has been using custom hashtags which they term them as hashflags that are used for specific events. We have seen hashflags being used for sporting events, TV shows and for special events like the Papal visit to to the US.
However, Twitter has been experimenting to see how they will be able to use these hashtags in another way and it started by collaborating with the soft drinks giant Coca Cola. Coca Cola approached Twitter so that they could create a custom hashtag for marketing purposes. Twitter delivered and Coca Cola ended up using the hashtag to set a world record.
Today, India has secured its own hashflag, appropriately named #Makeinindia
which makes it the first brand outside the US to get its own Twitter emoji. It was launched from Twitter’s headquarters and its goal is to promote India’s manufacturing industry.
#MakeInIndia is first non US based brand to get @Twitter emoji promoting India as a global manufacturing hub @jack pic.twitter.com/GHA28whCRC
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) November 4, 2015
Welcome to @Twitter HQ in San Francisco @nsitharaman, @amitabhk87 and @makeinindia! pic.twitter.com/z15Tj7GA8R
— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) November 3, 2015
The visit by India’s minister for State, Commerce and Industry also led her to meet the newly appointed Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey which is a symbolic gesture to the creation of a new revenue stream for the company. Governments from all over the world may soon hire Twitter to create custom hashtags for various campaigns that are designed to portray a country in a positive way. Following the footsteps of Coca-Cola, companies too can request for their own custom hashtags if they want to raise awareness about a product, get information about it and boost the current ad strategies in place like promoted tweets.
Twitter is not the only other one with custom icons. Facebook too announced custom icons but only for broadcasters so as to trend the conversation around a TV show. We will only have to wait and see if this trend will be fully monetized in the future.
