viral marketing
Maybe i'm the only marketing guy here... ( at work )... but I love this stuff. - Thanks to Clint for posting it in Normal.
What is Viral Marketing, case in point the Ford Sportka's campagin.
A controversial ad gets "leaked" on the Internet and outrage (and
publicity) ensues. On the heels of the controversy, the head company
announces it has nothing to do with the commercial. This puts the
company in good light and creates additional buzz. What started as an
Internet phenomenon is picked up by the mainstream print and TV press,
which then spreads word of the illicit video that causes a new rush back
to the Internet to find out what the fuss is all about.
"It's kind of a win-win-win situation," said Lucian James, a pop culture
expert and founder of the Agenda marketing agency in San Francisco. The
video is reaching the Sportka's target market even though Ford disavows
responsibility, he said . . . "It's all very kind of illicit. The ad is
not supposed to be released and not seen, however it is seen and it's
creating buzz."
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Yep it works very well actually. This simple ad was crafted to provoke a respose, its leaked to the net, it works its way like a worm thru the system, news media picks up on it, conversation and buzz ensues, it lauches the product to the forefront of the market. Now was the ad in bad taste? Depends.. do you like cats? I like cats... awww bad.. kitty die!
Bonus blog finds while searching for this ad online.