Earlier this week, Lloyd Brown shared a nice post that lets us in on a new trend, the personable bridge that tweets: Twitter talk: Three things ‘fake’ bridges teach us about public engagement
Apparently, there are now a number of bridges across the country that have their own Twitter account. For the most part, these are unofficial channels, though in one case — the Huey P. Long Bridge replacement project in Louisiana — it’s the official voice of the government agency in charge.
Brown summarizes:
What do all these bridge accounts have in common? Three things:
- They talk to their customers in plain language.
- They empathize with the plight of the poor driver stuck in traffic or braving the elements.
- They use humor.
The next time you wonder what you should say on your transportation Twitter feed, ask yourself, “What would @520_bridge say?” The answer is, surprisingly, quite a bit.
Giving troublesome projects or things a personality that makes them more likable might be a great idea, potentially. I wonder how long until we see things like this (following a successful public consultation on, say, a local budget):
When people start wanting to become friends with your decision, now that‘s all-around feel good engagement.
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