General Electric makes nearly everything: light bulbs, diesel locomotives, nuclear reactors, medical imaging equipment—and the list goes on. But churning out pretty pictures for Tumblr? GE’s journey into social media is far more arresting than you’d think.
Blending the old with the new, General Electric’s Tumblr feed is exceptionally well curated. Gorgeous photos of antique industrial equipment are fed in with equally stunning images of modern GE facilities and products. Edison generators and 10,000-watt antique light bulbs juxtaposed with modern jet engines might seem a bit boring on the surface but, combined with the lovable photo effects of Instagram, the photo-sharing app known for its filters and social sharing features, what GE has managed to create is really quite exceptional.
GE’s Tumblr links to a larger new media strategy titled The GE Show that includes compilations of topic-specific Flash and iPhone games, collections of video and imagery, along with background information on how GE products are adapting to a changing world.
