Showbox’s #ReadTrumpTweets Campaign Gives (Some) Power Back to the People
Showbox turns the most quoted man of the year’s tweets into fun DIY videos using customized background and animations.
Since 2016, a number of companies have tried to capitalize on President Trump. From gimmicks to themes, it’s hard to find an angle that hasn’t been used to generate buzz from the Donald. It’s hard not to take notice. From typos and insults to threats and regular updates, every time Trump hits “tweet,” a new array of headlines hit the media and in the 24 hours after companies scramble to find the angle. Showbox, an LA-based company, decided to make light of Trump’s notable Tweets. I mean hey, if you can’t beat ‘em, might as well laugh at ‘em, right?
#ReadTrumpTweets is a campaign where power now comes in the form of a personalized, entertaining DIY video anyone can create. #ReadTrumpTweets is powered by Showbox, a professional-grade and cloud-based video creation platform. The videos include customized backgrounds, animations, transitions and more.
So how does one transform Trump’s tweets into DIY videos that look professional? On www.ReadTrumpTweets.com, users can select from Donald Trump’s wildly diverse and colorful catalog of tweets to read aloud. The Tweets archive updates whenever a new one is added, making sure every ‘covfefe’ is found. Users can then choose from a variety of animated video backgrounds that match their sentiment (apocalypse, explosions, Russia, ‘Merica, puppies etc.), turning any video created into a DIY video. After that, users can shoot themselves reading the tweet they choose or replace it with a talking head animation of the Donald. Lastly, users share real video depicting fake news with the world, across Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social platforms.
Many companies have used user-generated content to promote their brand, from Burberry to Coca-Cola. Starbucks had a memorable user-generated content campaign in 2014 when the company launched its White Cup Contest. Customers were invited to doodle on their Starbucks cups and submit the pictures to the contest, the winner of which would be featured on a limited-edition Starbucks cup. The contest was a way to reach out to the company’s loyal customers – many of whom had already been sending in their cup designs without receiving any recognition.
ReadTrumpTweets juxtaposes tweets with themes that are not only cynical but also absurd in their sheer sarcastic nature. Showbox hopes to become a leader in video creation platforms but could face many challenges ahead getting its technology adopted by mainstream users and finding a way to stand out in a sea of Trump products. The ability to express creative and unique thoughts in 140 characters or less is not just a power limited to POTUS, but now is a moving living video created by the people, for the people.
