saidWot had a look at the International Aids Conference and their goal to trend on Twitter. Was this a success? Should trending be seen as goal by any brand? How can we use events to trend on Twitter? - We have the answers.

1. Positive Conversations
A saidWot Case Study
25th – 27th July 2012

2. Disclaimer
This Case Study is based on comments from around the
world regarding the AIDS 2012 Conference.
This case study was not compiled for a specific brand, but
purely out of curiosity and a burning passion to showcase
the impact of Online Reputation Management.
If you would like more information about saidWot, please
contact us:
www.saidwot.com/contact-us

3. Background
The International AIDS Conference (IAC) is an annual event
which aims at evaluating developments regarding efforts to
eradicate the HIV pandemic.
Every year, policy makers as well as those affected and
infected by the pandemic, gather and collectively chart a
course forward towards the common goal of creating positive
conversations and outcomes around the issue.

4. Positive Conversations
The AIDS 2012 programme ran from 22 July - 27 July in
Washington, DC.
The Hashtags #HIV, #AIDS, and #IAC were abundantly used on
twitter towards creating a positive conversation.
Activists propelled Tweeters to assist in making HIV/AIDS a
trending topic.

5. Case study objective
The purpose of the study is to see if positive online conversations
stemmed from the conference.
Conversations captured in this case study are of the period between
the 25th and the 27th of July.

6. Where did the conversation take place?
88 Feeds
were on
Friend Feed
130 Tweets were
during the
posted on Twitter
study period
during the study
period
Two updates
were on
Facebook
during the
study period

7. Said What?

8. Sentiment
Majority of the conversations online were positive. The #HIV/#AIDS
hashtag drive also received a positive response from the general public.
The conference coincided with the build up towards the Olympics thus
now and then #olympics and #HIV/#AIDS shared the online spotlight.

9. What did they say?

10. The outcome

11. The outcome
Not all conversations were positive with some points raised
regarding the reach of the conference as well as protests.

12. Conclusion
The conversations surrounding the conference were informative
and somewhat educational. The main objective of creating
positive conversations online was reached and everyone –
including celebrities, formed part of the conversation.

13. The outcome
Though the main objective was to have #HIV, #AIDS, and #IAC
trending on twitter, conversations did not lead to that.
However, the hashtags were kept alive and there were on-
going conversations surrounding the conference.
One particular reason behind the failure to trend was because
of the build-up towards the Olympics.

14. What could have worked?
If your goal is to trend on Twitter, here are a few tips and suggestions:
Utilize your brand Promote your Start and keep Hosing a tweet
ambassadors to handle and the conversation chat for Q&A
create a buzz. In hashtag on alive by @ the after the event
this case, Alicia invitations, guests. Tweeting will allow non-
Keys, Bill Gates banners and live updates from attendees to
and Annie Lennox presentations. the event and interact with your
should have displaying this on speakers and
mentioned the screens at the other audience
event. event will also members.
motivate your
audience.

15. BUT wait
Although trending on Twitter will lead to a larger audience
exposed to your brand or event, this should not be the only or
main goal.
Remember to also measure your success according to the
interaction taking place on Twitter, new followers gained,
transition of those followers into loyalists and insights gained
into audience behaviour and opinions.

16. More Information
We have all the data and analysis available that went into writing
this case study. If you are interested in receiving this, please
contact us on the details below.
If you want to know what is being said online about your brand,
then contact us on the details below and we will gladly set up a
demo account for you.
For more information on the International Aids Conference please
visit www.aids2012.org