In recent days, we’ve been discussing Twitter authority and tracking people in the public eye such as Diddy (@iamdiddy) and John Mayer (@johncmayer) reaching out to the masses via Twitter.

Many celebrities have established their Twitter Persona and actively engage, as we see on blogs such as Celebrity Tweet which give a real time feed on celebs like Solange Knowles (@solangeknowles), Ryan Seacrest (@ryanseacrest), Britney Spears (@britneyspears) and Greg Grunberg (@greggrunberg), who all have jumped on the Twitter bandwagon.

While many of these people in the public eye have already embraced their inner geek, many are just getting started with establishing their profiles.  And then there are those celebrities who are using their voice and influence to promote others’ — the Twitter Influencers.  As word of mouth marketers, we’re obsessed with the power of the shout out and its influence on the Twitter population we like to call Tweeps.

Take the recent Jimmy Fallon experiment as an example.  A few nights ago, Jimmy’s guest was Bryan Brinkman (@bryanbrinkman), who had 7 total followers on Twitter. After the shout out from Jimmy (and the founders of Digg also appearing on the show), Bryan now has almost 35,000 followers, and growing by the hour.  The shout out was then featured, written about and syndicated on blogs and sites (like this very one) which continues the shout out momentum.

Another great example is Ellen DeGeneres who talked about Twitter on her show very recently. The day her show’s Twitter profile @theellenshow was launched, there were just a little over 9,000 followers.  She now has over 200,000, growing rapidly.

While most of us aren’t able to appear on television to get the official shout out to spread the word about our Twitter presence, the power of influential bloggers is not to be underestimated as a way to grow your Twitter audience.  Mashable, a highly influential blog in the social media space regularly features people to follow in several verticals, ranging from Professors to Brands and the People Behind Them.  It’s safe to say that this blog drove a few followers to those profiles.  Ok, maybe more than a few.

We’ll be keeping our eye on the Twitter Influencers and paying attention to the power of the shout out.

Lori gave us some great tips last week on how to establish a Twitter authority. It’s all about the number of followers you have, how often you are retweeted, your @replies, and the number of people that click on your links.

I couldn’t help but think of one guy who’s really got it down: Sean Combs. Once Puff Daddy, P. Diddy and now just Diddy, he’s taken on one more powerful voice: @iamdiddy. With more than 135,743 followers, he’s a Twitter phenomenon.

Take a look at @iamdiddy’s location on his Twitter profile, and you won’t be surprised to see “EVERYWHERE” in all caps. (When you are living in 135,743 people’s Twitter feeds, it’s a pretty good description.)

Even a quick browse through @iamdiddy’s tweets and you’ll see plenty of exclamations and capitalizations. One from this morning reads “Is anyone awake with me?????? WAKE UP!!!! Anyone out there????? Talk to me!!!”

@iamdiddy is not just updating his followers - he’s inviting them into his world, and as he told Ellen, “tak(ing) the power back”. He only has around 388 updates (and counting) but his excitement is contagious -Retweetrank ranks him 19 based on how often his tweets are retweeted. And he’s not just connecting through Twitter. With the recent launch of P Twitty TV LIVE, fans can see and talk to Diddy live.

So what’s the big deal? The idea of connecting with celebrities via Twitter isn’t new – Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) and Demi Moore (@mrskutcher) mastered it a long time ago. What makes @iamdiddy different? Take a look one of my favorites:

“i try to answer as many as i can. and but by concept is to distibute love, inspiration, and positive energy!!!! and have fun wit yall!!”

Maybe it’s because he has figured out a way to not only connect and engage with his fans, but also inspire them.

Jackie Mayer is Manager, Social Media Marketing at KARMA Media Labs

Most of my family, friends and social network colleagues know by now that I have a strange obsession with The Snuggie - the blanket with sleeves.

For those of you who are unaware of the phenomenon that is The Snuggie, at some point in the wee hours of the night, you’ll most likely see an infomercial with happy people lounging on the sofa, each wearing what looks like a backwards robe in jewel tones such as navy blue, red or purple.

I first became aware of this concept while perusing the Skymall catalog on a flight back to LA. The competitor to The Snuggie, the slightly more expensive Slanket, was listed as a must have holiday gift for 2009. While the Slanket provided a few chuckles, I couldn’t help but notice the buzz beginning to form around its lower cost alternative, The Snuggie, and my obsession began.

Am I obsessed because I think everyone needs a blanket with holes in it for arms? No.

Am I obsessed because I’m entranced by low-production value, somewhat retro late-night infomercials that bring back memories of the Chia Pet? Not at all.

Am I obsessed because when you’re cold, the Snuggie will keep you warm and toasty? Not even close (I have one and it barely did the trick).

I’m obsessed with The Snuggie because somehow, a relatively low-end product promoted during late-night has made a name for itself through social media. The Snuggie is the guilty pleasure product you love to hate. And people love to talk about it. And coincidentally, it loves to talk to you.

I’ve had many an interesting conversation with @TheSnuggie on Twitter, enjoying loving comments such as “I would hide your lady parts if you want me to,” and “Let’s lay together….” and even “I will grip your body in all the right places.” The Snuggie says all the right things.

If the Snuggie doesn’t do it for you, you might want to check out The Snuggie’s distant cousin, the WTF Blanket.  Not quite the same as The Snuggie, but a little more blunt and to the point.

Want to join other Snuggie Fans?  Try the Snuggie Pub Crawl in cities like LA and Chicago.  It’s really a great opportunity to get your Snuggie on.

The Snuggie has achieved near-celebrity status, with recent appearances on The Today Show, Jon Stewart, Ellen and Bill Mahar, as well as a great article in the New York Times.  Again, is the Snuggie (a product that competes with the Power Juicer on late night) getting coverage because we can’t live without?  No.  It’s because people are talking about it.

The Snuggie is a great case study in social media and awareness.  These tough economic times can be the perfect timing for not only low-budget advertising (as is the Snuggie infomercial), but also leveraging word of mouth to drive  awareness and demand.  In this recession, while retail sales of mostly everything are falling fast, the Snuggie’s sales are increasing with over 4 million units sold since September.

Retailing at just $19.95 (and offered with a free bonus reading light!), it’s a must have product. Not because everyone wants to be in a cocoon of warmth. But because people want to engage with a brand that everyone’s talking about.

Long live the Snuggie.