The hit NBC show Revolution highlighted a key reality in social media yesterday evening, capitalizing big time during the Super Bowl without even having to buy costly Super Bowl ad space.  So what did Revolution do that was so Revolutionary?

Social media lives moment to moment.  If you miss the moment, the opportunity is usually gone forever.  Quick thinkers running the social media accounts of NBC’s Revolution didn’t let the Super Bowl blackout pass them by without seizing the moment.

For those who aren’t familiar with the show Revolution, it’s about a post-apocalyptic America in which the laws of physics have been altered so that electricity no longer works.  This premise begged for comment during Super Bowl XLVII as TV announcers struggled to get back on the air. But as precious ad space was going unused, the folks at NBC were mining social media gold. And they struck it rich!

These were their two posts from last night:

 

Oreo also capitalized on the blackout, and may well have garnered more attention with their “shoot-from-the-hip” meme than their actual Super Bowl ad.  Both the Twitter meme and their actual Super Bowl ad are below.  You be the judge!

In the rapid pace of social media interaction, those with quick reflexes and good timing win the lion’s share of engagement. Tell us your thoughts on the quick thinking of the Revolution and Oreo social media teams.