Murray v. Federer: The Social Media Showdown

[Darcie]

Most of us are hoping to see Murray beat Federer in the final at this years Wimbledon, but who wins when it comes to their social media campaigns?

Roger Federer’s online presence consists of a website with 253,912 registered members and 2,128,253 fans on his facebook fan page, with no connection from the site to the facbook page. Although between himself and his pr team, it would seem the facebook page is quite the hub for updates and fan interaction (Q&A’s, what should be my next profile picture be, ect).

Andy Murray, on the other hand, has a facebook fan page with 31,794 fans (that he doesn’t seem to be associated with), a website, a blog (on the site, but seems to be written by himself), a YouTube account and is an active Twitterer, with 51,990 followers.

Head to head, which do you feel is the stronger online candidate? Federer has a considerable amount more ‘fans’ than Murray, but is it because he’s number 1 in the world or is it due to how his online campaign is run and his interaction with his fans?

While Andy Murray doesn’t actually reply to anyone and only follows 75people, it seems as though, and is one of the pros for Twitter, that it’s more personable. His updates are matched by regular blogposts and he comes across as a normal person.

Neither of them has someone live tweeting the match on their behalf…but I guess that’s what tv & web streaming are for.

[Emlyn Firth]

Think it's a shame Murray is being streamlined into 'brand Murray'. They seem to have a plan which involves turning him into some smooth, Federer/Beckham hybrid, all Niked up, but surely it's the snaggle-toothed, longer haired, slightly grumpy Murray which gives him genuine crossover appeal to the kids in the first place... Fred Perry's and all. Missing a trick I think.

[Stuart Cosgrove]

I'm biased but its Murray for me. He's a hard-core gamer, handles his own tweets, and listens to shite like Off the Ball on BBC Scotland's listen-again function. Federer's jackets are cooler but Andy Murray is more wired: