ABC Gives #TGIT Fans Emoji Triggers For Video Trailers On Twitter

ABC’s Thursday dramas — “Grey’s Anatomy,” “How to Get Away With Murder” and “Scandal” — drive one of the biggest social media nights on television. “Scandal,” with live-tweeting cast members and legions of fans — aka “Gladiators” — chiming in, regularly makes the top 10 of the weekly Nielsen Twitter TV ratings, averaging 282,000 tweets per show last season. The 2014 premiere generated 718,000 tweets.

To help get the party started this season, ABC launched an emoji-based campaign for the three #TGIT (Thank Goodness It’s Thursday) shows today. Working with Twitter’s brand strategy team, ABC created a way to send fans thank-you messages tacked onto the beginning of trailers for the shows.

For “Scandal” it’s #Scandal with the wine glass emoji (?). “How to Get Away With Murder” is #HTGAWM, paired with a menacing knife (?), and #GreysAnatomy gets a syringe (?). Fans who tweet those combinations get an immediate reply on Twitter that includes an attached video.

@sondraduckert Here is your own video message & sneak peek of #Scandal. #TGIT returns THIS Thursday! ???? https://t.co/S51hXOA8Kx

— Scandal (@ScandalABC) September 22, 2015

Twitter says the overall buzz for this fall TV season is higher than in 2014. As of last week, 21 million tweets had been sent in advance of fall shows, an increase of 34 percent over last year.

Use ? AND #HTGAWM to receive a special video message & sneak peek of the Season Premiere! pic.twitter.com/uYnfNjgCdv — How To Get Away ABC (@HowToGetAwayABC) September 22, 2015