This summer was defined by the soundtrack of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s “Hamilton: An American Musical.” This musical is pure genius because Miranda somehow makes the founding fathers of America hip again. This got me thinking: what’s more hip and defining of the current generation than social media?
So without further ado, I build upon Miranda’s mission to bring Hamilton into the present with a refresh on the cast based on the major social media players:
Alexander Hamilton: Snapchat
Ah, Alexander Hamilton. He is young, scrappy, and hungry: just like Snapchat! A relatively new platform that quickly rose to the top over the course of one year with their filters and face-recognition technology, this platform is a force to be reckoned with. Even in the rise of obstacles like sustainable ROI and Instagram Stories, Snapchat is a non-stop platform that will release updates like it’s running out of time. It’s not throwing away its shot!
Aaron Burr: Twitter
Twitter. I fear for your future. As Alexander Hamilton’s chief adversary, Burr’s greatest weakness is that he never acts on his stances. He chooses to wait for it, just like Twitter seems to be waiting to make a move. They are trying to revamp Moments in the wake of losing a CMO and earnings that plateau. I’m a huge fan of Twitter, but I really hope they’ll blow us all away soon or else they will be stuck while the other platforms rise to the top.
George Washington: LinkedIn
George Washington remains the wise old sage that knows how to act professionally in the face of danger. LinkedIn serves as a reminder that our actions are not to be forgotten and that history has its eyes on all of us. Impress George Washington, impress LinkedIn, and get hired. That’s what happened with Alexander Hamilton and his credentials- Washington hired him right on site!
King George: Google Plus
King George is the ex boyfriend that can’t let go. He’s the one that insists you’ll be back once you remember that you belong together. Google Plus is that ex-boyfriend that tried to make it work, but it never caught on: and it’s still here. Since it’s owned by mega-powerhouse Google, it’s only a matter of time before this network sends a fully armed digital battalion to remind us of its power/”love.”
The Schuyler Sisters: Pinterest
The Schuyler Sisters are the 18th century version of #squadgoals. Angelica, Eliza (and Peggy) embody female empowerment and remind us all that all men AND women are created equal. Like this dynamic trio, Pinterest remains a prominent social media powerhouse fueled by the female population. With their new focus on e-commerce and promoted pins, Pinterest continues to cater to the females that make it a thriving place for idea generation. They ensure women are included in the sequel *werk!*.
Thomas Jefferson: Facebook
Thomas Jefferson is one of my favorite characters in “Hamilton.” He waltzes in for Act 2 ready for rap battles and putting his stake in the American experiment, going: “What did I miss?” Facebook has been around a lot longer than Jefferson in the social media experiment, but it has no problem setting Hamilton/Snapchat in its place and reminding the social media cast who runs the show. Which brings me to the last and final network that’s like a spy on the inside, that’s right…
HERCULES MULLIGAN: Instagram
Hercules Mulligan is the BEST! He doesn’t let anything or anyone bring him down, and he’s always helping his revolutionary brothers in their fight against tyranny. Enter Instagram, a platform that makes moves as big as Mulligan in the Battle of Yorktown, 1781. Instagram’s new Instagram Stories feature is a direct attack on Snapchat that gives it leverage over their competitor’s increasing popularity. Instagram, like Hercules Mulligan knows that when it gets knocked down it’ll just get back up again.
Paxton Mittleman 