John B
Founder/Chair, Federated Media, Owner, BattelleMedia, Program Chair, Web 2.0, Author, The Search
What's the smartest marketing you've ever seen online?
Clarification added 9 months ago:
I'll be reviewing the submissions and choosing the best answers to be highlighted at the upcoming CM Summit in San Francisco next week.
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Answers (30)
CP + B's effort for Burger King via "Subservient Chicken" is a great example.
http://www.subservientchicken.com/
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"Less is more."
Mysteriously vague messages seem to catch the mass' attention AND curiosity fairly well. (Mass, meaning mass of people.)
Hope this helps.
Kathleen Herrington
http://www.teratech.com
'Okay, who's up for some ColdFusion?' - anonymous
'We all started somewhere.' - anonymous
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Three words, NBC’s The Office. The online marketing they do is incredible. The audience goes from watching the newest episode to watching the newest webisode at nbc.com/The_Office.
The website itself contains exclusive cast videos, cast member’s blogs, games, show merchandise and more.
The website is so fan interactive, that a typically new visitor can spend hours on the site, even during “rerun” season. This franchise still made money during the writers’ strike!
The online time spent on the website enables the show to become a mult-platform advertising unit for NBC.
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The Million Dollar Homepage website conceived by Alex Tew, He became a millionaire in approximately 6 months.
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I agree with Jim Perretti. Crispin Porter + Bogusky nailed it with the subservient chicken. I was actually talking about that today to someone.
Have a great day!
Ryan
Rishi A
Experienced Media Professional, General Manager - Marketing & Advertising
i will reply on different lines....
The smartest way i have come across are the contest, games , viral & customer involvement advertising done on line. This is a platform where the customer is hooked and shells out all the desired info reqd by the advertiser.
This is exactly waht a marketier wants, i.e to bring end consumer close to the product.....
Hope this helps
Flyn P
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Frank Kern's marketing for his Mass Control program.
the smartest is "giving before asking for something"::)). Take a look at the marketing gurus, they all offer free stuff at the beginning and then sell something less important at a very good price...
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Definitly Mobile Marketing:
www.mdfactory.com
Coca-Cola: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=oUUBac7B8MY
Diageo: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=9B85lcbwWm4&feature=user
San Miguel: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=HFJtf63zwfQ
Otras: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=R53Bgb8Oe-U
Otras2: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=cxccBX0HOV4&feature=user
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Although not THE SMARTEST I've ever seen, I think one of the smartest viral marketing tactics I've seen online in the past few months (even though it hit the net in Februyary 2008) is that of the hilarious video exchange (via YouTube), propagated by Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel.
I'm, of course, referring to the "I'm F'n Matt Damon" (Sarah Silverman) and "I'm F'n Ben Affleck" (Jimmy Kimmel) videos they used to playfully jab one another. These videos have drawn millions of views, and that's always good for these types of talents.
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Check out Mini's marketing...their entire corporate website is a work of art! The Mini-related games and the feel of the website represents the fun that the Mini embodies. Take some time to look everything over!
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Gregg F
Principal at XL Communications Inc. (HR & Benefits Communications Consulting)
The recent Apple "Im a Mac" flash ads that had characters in the top horiozntal banner and the right side vertical banner speaking with eachother. Brilliant.
This was a while back, mid 90's. MayaQuest was an eco-tourism company, website and educational too. Eco-tourists helped out at multiple research digs cycling between sites, and the web site was used by students to help direct the digs and research. I really liked the 3-way synergy. Not sure how successful it was, but I certainly remember it.
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Many examples by "The Colbert Report" (name the baby eagle, "Tek Janson" contests, battles with Wikipedia. The fans are totally involved.
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I believe Nike's interactive marketing of self-designed shoes. This "open source marketing" on-line will be the wave of the future where consumers give suppliers direct input on what they want in a product; providing for "real-time" customer exchange of idea's.
willitblend.com
I think history will show that breakdowns the competition.
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Put in on TV
Mark K also suggests this expert on this topic:
The seemingly pervasive ads stating "click here and get a free ___." Especially catching are the current batch that tell you that all you have to do is click and you get a free Wii. My children are drawn to them, and despite not getting the Wii, there desire for the game system continues on after the experience.
I loved Dove's Pro-Age campaign stuff... especially, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U
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An organization by the name of marketing eVolved Corporation out of Las Vegas Nevada with a satellite office in Irvine CA has created an integrated marketing and communications product by the name of PURLS (Personalized URLS) interactive invitation that connects consumers to areas of interest(s) within a specific industry....Casinos, Pharmaceutical Industry....etc. I perform management consulting for the organization, if you're interested in learning more, please feel free to connect with me and I am happy to share there contact information. (the website is currently under construction....) My number: 949-943-4381 and e-mail: trou@tdvhassoc.com
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As any entrepreneur and or sales person, the smartest thing to do is being able to sell and market oneself whether online, in person, etc.., If we do not know how to promote our own self and products, then we don't have a future in marketing. Alex Esguerra, best selling author, "How do U Integrate Success in a Small Business" with ISBN No. 978-143-48-07595
I'm rather Jane Q Public in my tv viewing and I have to say - whatever the heck Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld are selling in their ads is a mystery ... and I want two! Furthermore, I just heard buzz that their ads were supposed to be of a certain length but they've violated some terms and now the ads are being pulled - but I keep seeing them. I TiVo and zip through most commercials. I back up for these. And I still don't get it.
Wait, does everyone else get it? Maybe I should just read answers....
Wendy's..."Where's the beef"
Alka Seltzer..I can't believe I ate the whole thing"
Coke..."Coke is it"
Theme music during the scene where they are repairing the road in ,"Cool hand Luke,,,used by Eyewhitness news
Without hesitation, Blendtec's "Will It Blend?" campaign via YouTube. Brilliant!
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The Custom Ad Spots that Pandora does
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BMW Films
Howard H
Recruiting Relationship Manager & Sourcing Specialist at UBS Investment Bank
This is.
I'm a little biased, I'll admit, but spherical video marketing is a hot new way to reach engaged audiences. Check out Mercedes (www.amg-360.com) or what RedBull is doing to attract X-Gamers (http://www.redbullsurfing.com/videos/immersive/). This is a method that allows the viewer to control their surroundings and become instantly attracted to the site, thereby compelling your average viewer to "hold" on the site for a measurably longer duration.
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Some of the Military's use of marketing towards recruiting in an unpopular war. National Guard interviews, protecting the "homeland" spots after Katrina were very well crafted.
Paypal's original campaign to give your friends $5 for free was one of the best viral marketing campaigns I ever saw, and they did it in the early days of the internet! (I think you also got $5 when they signed up). It allowed Paypal to take off with it's first million users in a matter of months.
