If you watched the Broncos versus Chargers game on Sunday, you probably noticed how often 
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning called “Omaha” during the game (44 times according to Yahoo! Sports). #Omaha started trending Sunday afternoon, and @VisitOmaha and @OmahaSteaks were quick to harness the trend with witty tweets and the hashtags #PeytonManning (Manning is not currently active on Twitter) and #OmahaOmaha.
Savvy brands capitalizing on real-time events is nothing new. In fact, @DennysDiner has dedicated almost its entire Twitter feed to real-time tweets lately, touching on topics like #TheBachelor, @girlsHBO and #GoldenGlobes in the past few days alone.
But with a jam-packed first quarter of 2014 on our hands, we urge all social media enthusiasts to think before you post. For example, the Sochi Olympics are just weeks away and while they seem ripe for the picking, the Olympics brand is one of the most closely guarded out there. So much as think about recreating the logo using your company’s product in a social media post and you’re toast. Before posting, check out the extensive Olympic social media, blogging and internet guidelines.
While borrowing imagery or wording directly from an event like the Olympics is forbidden, determining how and when to jump in on trending hashtags or creating your own unique approach to major events like the Super Bowl, the Oscars, or March Madness can prove valuable to brands who do it right. For example, GFM client Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt’s New York franchisee did a great job playing up the Oscar buzz last year by crafting froyo creations designed to represent some of the most popular fashions from the 2013 red carpet; a great example of having fun, being timely and on trend, but staying within the guidelines.
