What if @the_Real_MartinLuther were here?

I have a feeling that if Martin Luther were alive today, his 95 theses wouldn't have been posted on the door of a church cathedral, but more likely a status update. I wonder if I would follow @the_Real_MartinLuther or not?

Why did he post them on the doors of a church? Because that is where everyone would see it. I don't think doing the same thing today would have an equal effect (unless you wanted to reach BYU religion students, because then the JSB might be just as good). Where is everyone else? On the internet, of course. What does it take to inspire the masses nowadays? How about a YouTube video that goes viral, or a twitter account with thousands of followers? These are the thought leaders of our day. They are the ones that drive us to act.

So it would make sense then for marketers to congregate there. "There" of course being a metaphorical term spreading the globe. I think the most effective part of this new social media type is the operational costs. Marketing and advertising can now be done for next to nothing. Hire someone that knows his social media stuff, and set him loose.

I saw this in action from the people who work as publicists and marketers for certain players of the Utah Jazz. Deron Williams and Kyle Korver recently hosted a charity dodge ball event called the "Dodge Barrage" in Salt Lake City.

How did they spread the word? It all started with this video on YouTube. They both tweeted about it and had blogs posted on their individual websites. Once the buzz started and they got enough hits on their sites, the TV news stations came calling--some at the national level. Within a few days, every opening for the charity dodgeball tournament was filled. The only way to get a team after that was to sponsor the event as a company, which many ended up doing. And just like that, publicity followed. This was only for charity, think of what a company could do with a continued effort.

I hate to make a comparison, but I think @D_Will_8_4real might have more followers than @the_Real_MartinLuther had people who actually saw the Theses posted on the door.