Promo - March 2008 - (Page 16)

Amy Johannes Interactive CHAIN REACTION Viral experts say passing it on is easier said than done Viral marketing has evolved into a 21st century version of the snail mail chain letter of yesteryear. Only the difference is not based on superstition that if you don’t comply with the request you’re in for years of bad luck. Rather friends pass on quirky new media-induced tidbits of information or fun games precisely because they know their acquaintances’ tastes. When done right, the brand meanwhile gets championed almost subliminally. But only 15% of marketers over the past year felt they were successful getting their viral messages passed on, according to a JupiterResearch study. “There is a lot of experimentation going on,” says Michael Greene, a research associate at JupiterResearch. “Marketers put a lot of campaigns out there hoping they will stick. Some are succeeding, but a lot aren’t.” Obviously letting would-be forwarders know is critical to usage. A house list of opt-in e-mail addresses is a starting point. Another way is to target bloggers to help spread the word. Jupiter Research’s Greene recommends not underestimating traditional media to call Two years after launching, attention. CareerBuilder.com’s MonkOffice Depot last fall e-Mail campaign is still a hit, teased on its home page a drawing 30 million visits to the Web site. People can microsite that let visitors customize one of three build virtual creatures out monkeys: The boss, the coworker or the receptionist. VIRAL MARKETING TIPS Looking to launch the next viral hit? Here are a few tips from experts: • Research your target audience. • Define your goals. • Give people something unexpected. • Keep things simple. • Test the campaign before launching the site. • Keep branding minimal. • Create a catchy name for the campaign. —Amy Johannes W For more articles on interactive marketing go to www.promomagazine.com/retail Newsletter Web RSS Webinar Conference Podcast of a clipboard chair or clock for a body; scissors, rulers or staplers for arms and a printer or coffeepot for a head. Apparently a response to the media phenomenon created by rival Office Max’s Elf Yourself campaign in the holiday 2006 season, Office Depot’s first viral foray promotes a product line that has drawn more than 500,000 page views of its The Strange Little Office Beings at www.TheSlobs.com. Users can send SLOBs to friends and family, challenge others in an online dual, or play against the House SLOBs. Winners earn additional credits to make bigger and better creatures. So far, 120,000 SLOBS have been created. “We wanted to create a buzz in the industry and engage with our customers in a new and creative way,” says Emily Pelosi, senior manager of online marketing for Office Depot. Bill Hanekamp, CEO of Microsite.com, a microsite design firm, says viral campaigns should address the following: Is it entertaining? Is it relevant? Is it timely? Is there an exclusive offer? Sometimes, viral efforts require “a little bit of magic,” says Daniel Stein, CEO/founder of EVB, the digital agency behind Office Max’s “Elf Yourself.” Take 20th Century Fox. The studio in January launched a humorous viral campaign with actress Carmen Electra to promote “Meet the Spartans,” a spoof of the movie “300.” People personalize a video by uploading a photo and entering a name and phone number to www.carmenhasacrushonyou.com. In the clip, Electra talks about the movie and her latest love interest: You. Viewers watch their name appear as a tattoo on Electra’s derriere and their picture in her photo album. At the end, recipients get a prerecorded phone call from the star herself. 16 March 2008 / WWW.PROMOMAGAZINE.COM / Promo http://www.TheSlobs.com http://www.carmenhasacrushonyou.com http://www.carmenhasacrushonyou.com http://www.promomagazine.com/retail http://www.promomagazine.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Promo - March 2008

Promo - March 2008 Editor's Note Girls' Club New Eco Regs? They're Not Going Anywhere Spreads Easily RFID Ramp-Up From Backyard to Broadcast Commentary VROOOM! Stuff We Can't Do Here Yet Q&A: Measuring Up Free Ink The Agency Center Resource Center Promotions 2.0 Index of Advertisers

Promo - March 2008

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