Twitter is leaning in to cringe humour for Valentine’s Day with an integrated campaign.
The "Dating Twitter advice bureau", an immersive experience in London’s Covent Garden during 13-16 February, was created by Flying Object. It features interactive installations bringing to life real tweets from Twitter conversations about dating. These include the "Wheel of misfortune", the "Ghosting graveyard" and the "Gallery of awkward silences".
There will also be a neon-lit "adult area" where people can "glimpse X-rated tweets at the peep show", such as this gem from Twitter user @ArfMeasures:
Her: Tell me what you want
Me: A burrito
Her: No!! Tell me what you want in bed
Me: Oh! *gets in bed* a burrito
The campaign will also see straight-talking tweets take over major London Tube platforms (Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road), with ads showcasing stripped-back versions of humorous tweets, with no tagline or call to action in the copy.
There will also be flyposting activity at Clapham Junction, Queenstown Road Battersea and St Paul's Road in Islington.
Twitter wants to promote the fact that its users' behaviour is tied to conversational topics, allowing for brands to reach them through contextual audience targeting. For example, last year Twitter identified 75 common "communities". The company is also developing products in 2020 that will enable more direct-response advertising formats.
David Wilding, director of planning at Twitter UK, said: "We want to honour the true reality around the modern world of dating on Valentine’s Day by bringing the most raw and relatable tweets to life at the 'advice bureau', even if it’s not very helpful."