Fiat 500 becomes the first car to be sold using Twitter
Twitter has been used for celebrity rants, assisting charitable organizations, updating sports scores, breaking news stories, and drawing the world closer.
But have companies used it as a medium to sell goods? Fiat has!
That's right, Fiat used Twitter to carry out an auction for its Fiat 500 America Limited Edition. Note that this is not a car for America even if the name suggests so. It is a special edition vehicle launched in Europe.
To participate in this initiative it is obvious that you have to be registered on Twitter and on "500America.fiat500.com". Once the registration is complete, each user sends a tweet with the offer price abiding by the rules.
During this TwitBid, which lasted from March 1 to March 15, 293 users from 11 different countries made more than 700 "twit-offers". The whole initiative registered 787 tweets with the official hashtag #500America and 140 retweets. The number may sound less but remember this wasn't a sale or a giveaway. Only those who were considering the 500 as their next car tweeted.
The TwitBid came to an end with Fiat announcing “Adelheid D. Kieper” (@KanzleiKieper) as the winner. With an offer of 15,165 euros (approx 10.5 lakh INR) , she won the TwitBid and will be awarded with the first unit of the Fiat 500 America limited edition in Europe.
About the Fiat 500 America Edition
The styling and the concept inspiration is the United States of America. The car gets a blue metallic exterior paint job with the outside mirrors adorning USA’s national flag. Pinstripes on the body panels have been inspired by the national flag’s red and white colour scheme. Interiors have details which convey that the car is a limited edition model. To complete the look the car sits on multi-spoke 16” alloy rims.
Power is provided by a 1.2L, 69HP engine which is Euro5 compliant. ABS and EBD with driver, passenger and side airbags are equipped to provide high levels of safety.
I norder to make it extra special Fiat will provide a badge bearing the serial number '1/500' and the twitter nickname of the winner!
