Social Media in 2011

2011 marked a lot of new partnerships, events, and opportunities here at Aristocrat Motors. Perhaps one of the most noticeable new programs was our entrance into social media, through channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and this very blog. I would like to share a few of the more significant moments we shared with our fans and followers.

1. Our First Facebook Post.

This post was not a welcome to the world announcement, but rather a reminder of how far one of our brands had come. Mercedes-Benz, one of our core franchises, turned 125 years old this year, and continues to be the leader in luxury automobiles.

2. Our First Tweet

All this implied was more to come from Aristocrat Motors. At the time, we didn’t know specifically what that implied, but the events of the following year proved it to be an accurate prediction. Fun Fact: The first Facebook post and Tweet were both on my first day working here.

3. Our 200^th Facebook Fan

3 and ½ months after opening ourselves up on Facebook, we reached 200 accumulated fans. In the 7 months following, that number would increase tenfold, pushing past 2,000 just a few days ago.

4. Livestrong Sporting Park Sponsorship

We announced through Facebook our decision to sponsor Sporting Kansas City for their opening season in Kansas City. Livestrong Sporting Park ended up being one of the most talked about venues in KC for 2011, with the team nearly making it to the MLS Championship.

5. Sleepyhead Beds Tweet

On September 1^st we announced a partnership with Sleepyhead Beds, a local charity, to hold a bed drive. Little did we know that that single tweet would start a program delivering over 265 beds to kids in Kansas City, as well as secure Sleepyhead Beds a $25,000 grant from Mercedes-Benz.

6. Kauffman Center Grand Opening

September 16^th we notified the world that we would be sponsoring the opening night of The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. The facility opened to rave reviews from around the country, and is proving to be a game changing venue for the downtown area. We recently announced that we will be an official sponsor of the center for the next 2 years.

7. Race Across Missouri

 On September 26^th we raced Justin Meyer, from Kansas City International Airport, across the state of Missouri. He traveled by bus to KCI and by jet to St. Louis, with us racing him in a Porsche Panamera. The event was mentioned hundreds of times on Twitter, with hundreds of thousands of overall impressions. Despite the Porsche losing by a mere 15 minutes, the event continues to be talked about.

8. SMCKC Ride and Drive

In October we opened our vehicles and private track up for members of The Social Media Club of Kansas City. Over 30 of the top-tweeters in KC showed up and got to see what our vehicles are really about. It was also a chance to directly introduce ourselves to a group of people who are changing the social landscape in Kansas City.

Thank you to everyone who made these events and announcements special in 2011. We look forward to even more in 2012!