By CLARA BENDAYAN
The latest trend on social media among teenagers seems to be prom-asking, modernly known as a “promposal.” However, this trend doesn’t occur among each other. Rather, there’s been a spike in gutsy teens asking their favorite celebrities to prom via Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
With the emergence of social media sites such as Twitter, where fans are able to communicate with their favorite celebrities, there has been a rise in celebrity-fan communication.
Celebrities and famous companies gets millions of tweets a day, and obviously not all of them are answered or seen. However, sometimes some people get lucky and their dreams come true.
This was the case with Muthana Sweis, a 17-year-old from Chicago who asked Netflix, a popular streaming company, via Twitter if the company would go with him to his junior prom if his tweet got 1,000 retweets.
While many would think this is odd, Sweis became the most popular guy in his high school for his unique stunt.
“How is a movie website going to escort my baby brother to prom?” asked Sweis’s sister.
Good question. It turns out that Netflix agreed and decided to give Sweis a bunch of cool accessories and clothing from iconic movies and TV shows.
Did I also mention that they hooked him up with James Bond’s “Skyfall” tux and the 1950s Buick from “Grease?” Not too shabby at all. They also gave him the choice of a chauffeur along with choosing his tux and ride.
Naturally, he chose a Danny Zuko look-alike.
Muthana Sweis’s tweet promposal to Netflix (Courtesy of HuffingtonPost).
Netflix sent a camera crew to the teen’s hometown and followed him to prom. When he arrived, nearly every student jumped at the chance of snapping an Instagram picture of him and, of course, with him.
Final verdict? I guess Netflix will no longer be associated with being that site where you binge-watch shows on when you’re not feeling social. This also proved to be an excellent and nontraditional marketing strategy.
Netflix’s response to Sweis’s tweet (Courtesy of HuffingtonPost).
This exciting tale definitely displays the positives of social media and the benefits of being able to communicate more freely with popular celebrities and companies that you’d likely never meet otherwise.
Muthana managed to make his prom night truly unforgettable, by requesting something he probably didn’t even know was possible. This just leaves everyone else kicking themselves and thinking “why didn’t I think of that first?!”