Promotion Voodoo

Change is Inevitable

2009-07-01T14:02:00.001-04:00

You've reached one of MindComet's legacy blogs. We're no longer posting here, but we're definitely still blogging. Visit http://blogs.mindcomet.com to find our current blogs and you can follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mindcomet.

We've Moved!

2007-01-31T00:33:00.001-05:00

Check us out at our new blog Online Marketing Voodoo. Here we will cover integrated promotions, online marketing campaigns, case studies, consumer generated media, business blogging, web analytics and emerging technologies that influence Internet marketing.

Your Mission: Find the Briefcase and Escape

2006-11-20T14:08:00.000-05:00

In an effort to promote the November 17th release of the newest James Bond Film, "Casino Royale," Sony Pictures has created an online game that allows users to escape this world and enter the world of an MI6 team leader.
Fans and gamers alike can sign up for an account to play the Casino Royale strategy game. This game allows users to command a team of six players, and the user moves these players like pieces on a chest board.

Since the early 60’s, Bond has been a household name. With this prequel the legacy continues. Now die-hard fans can connect with their hero before the movie hits theaters. Once signed up for an account, users can enter for a chance to win even more prizes.

This Holiday Season: Think Food and the Web

2006-11-13T15:27:00.000-05:00

The holiday season is quickly approaching. As people prepare for their holiday feasts, marketers are cleverly using the Web to integrate food into their interactive campaigns.

For instance, Celeb chef Tyler Florence will be starring in a new holiday feature on FoodNetwork.com, "Tyler's Ultimate Holiday Menu Planner." This engaging promo will allow users to plan holiday meals from start to finish by mixing and matching a number of holiday recipes. The site will use layers of video to allow you to access different elements of celebrity chef instruction.
In addition, the cooking spots will have in-stream sponsor spots, which the site will suggest once a viewer has called up a Tyler Florence video.

According to Hitwise, FoodNetwork.com received more than 8.8 million unique visitors last month and remains the most popular U.S. food and beverage site.

Fall: Season for Cross-Media Promotions

2006-10-30T14:57:00.000-05:00

This fall, television networks are beginning to make the big leap in stepping up multi-platform distribution. What does this mean in the world of interactive? Media entities such as Fox and Showtime are utilizing the Web to provide an online experience for various programming as well as cross-channel promotions.

For instance, Showtime entered a partnership with Yahoo TV; in which Yahoo will stream full episodes of several Showtime original series shows. In addition, teasers of upcoming 2007 series will be aired. On the same note, Fox is utilizing online assets such as MySpace.com to promo shows to key demographic targets and is showcasing :30 second sponsor/advertiser spots for big name companies such as Toyota, Burger King and Paramount.

Coke and Consumers Online

2006-10-12T14:12:00.000-04:00

With people across the world craving individuality, Coca-Cola has come up with a promotional contest that allows each contestant to design an entirely original video under the theme of “A Lasting First Impression.” Not only can contestants submit a totally unique video but they can also view all of the videos that other contestants have submitted.

This promotion allows Coca-cola drinkers to design their very own vision of the product. Whether the consumers view of Coca-cola is dancing, bugs, music, stick figures, potato people or a man dressed as a bear in a park... it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that individuals can express themselves and put it out there to share with other Coca-cola lovers.

Pepsi Promos Cater to Gen Y

2006-09-29T15:59:00.001-04:00

Pepsi is currently running two online promotional events, each catering to a different type of Pepsi drinker. The first is called "DJ Division," linking consumers to several DJ’s, maps of the favorite hang outs in each artist’s home state and one or more tracks of their music. This category leans toward the hip-hop and music oriented consumers, which allows them to watch taped interviews with each DJ, download different wallpapers and view a "hot sheet" of each DJ's favorite artist's/food/song/track and other personal information.

The second promo currently offered is "Pepsi Street Motion," an online car show which allows contestants to submit photos of their rides to be featured. Any consumer that feels they have a fly ride can enter. Those who just really enjoy checking out flashy cars can view photos on the Pepsi Street Motion link. Prizes for this promo include cash and a feature in DUB magazine.

Whether a Pepsi drinker likes music, cars or both, Pepsi’s recent online promotional events are catering to the fresh and young consumer.

Where Texting and Shopping Meet

2006-09-12T17:54:00.000-04:00

New York area clothing store, Strawberry is launching a new promotion through GPShopper, a mobile marketing company. Shoppers can opt to receive promotions and search for items through geo-targeted mobile messaging. Users can create shopping lists and obtain coupons through the service. The subscribers will be targeted by the address they provided when they signed up.

This isn’t the only application GPShopper has offered. Slifter was launched earlier this year. The service makes mobile shopping more sociable by adding the ability for friends to send their shopping recommendations, and also offers a price comparison feature. Users can compare online and in store prices via SMS and wireless Web applications. Detailed shopping with your friends’ input from your phone! What more could you want?

Primetime Goes Online

2006-09-05T16:04:00.000-04:00

Yahoo! has added primetime television to its list of web services. This fall, the site features coverage of upcoming programming on CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC and the CW.
According to MediaPost, Yahoo! signed a deal to offer an ad-based stream CBS’s Jericho the week before its network debut. Other programming will also be streamed after they air. Yahoo! and the other networks are counting on the income from advertisements as an additional way to increase profits.

Karin Gilford, Yahoo Entertainment's general manager, said "We're trying to create more immersive, engaging and dynamic destinations for TV users."

It will be interesting to see how Yahoo! fares against the stiff competition of iTunes Music Store and individual networks which also offer streaming programming.

Emmy's Engages Online

2006-08-30T13:06:00.000-04:00

NBC took a new approach to promoting the Primetime Emmy Awards which aired just Sunday on NBC.
In order to spark more interest and drive the number of viewers, NBC took an integrated approach by incorporating live behind-the-scenes video feeds and real-time blog posts written backstage by NBC producers, which were featured on NBC.com. In addition, viewers to the site were able to interact with one another and participate in trivia based games. The online component was seen as another way to engage the consumer to interact with the brand. This is a trend that continues to grow, with networks taking more turn-key integrated marketing approaches to suplement traditional media.

SOAP: Buzz Generation at Work

2006-08-22T17:08:00.000-04:00

As you may recall, there was an earlier post back in June discussing the online buzz that was being generated for the upcoming release of "Snakes on a Plane." The movie generated interest early on, with viral elements and additional online components driving much of the word of mouth strategy. It worked. After seeing numbers on how "Snakes" did at the box office opening weekend and the movie title, "Snakes on a Plane," being deemed the "Word of the Day" on urbandictionary.com one has to examine the impact that the word of mouth viral marketing had in promoting the movie.

Have you received your call from Samuel L. Jackson yet? If not, you probably will soon. Just prior to the movie release, "Snakes on a Plane" launched another online component to push moviegoers to see the new release. The promo allows consumers to customize a message to a friend, co-worker, etc urging them to see "Snakes on a Plane" (well, the voice of Samuel L. Jackson does the urging). The message can be sent via email or by phone. It's proof that getting consumers to talk and pass along information is as buzz-worthy as the buzz they create.

Cooperative Coupons

2006-08-15T17:17:00.000-04:00

We’ve all gotten them in the mail. There it sits, nestled in between this month’s water bill and yet another credit card offer. The swollen envelope that contains more local coupons than you can shake a ‘brand new set of all weather radial tires for the low-low price of $199.99’ at: a Valpak coupon bundle. Consumers can now feel the same rush of excitement from logging onto Google Maps as they do when they open the mailbox.

Google Maps and Valpak have joined forces to allow advertisers the opportunity to link coupons to their existing ads on the Google Maps website. Patrons now have the opportunity to pick and print individual coupons rather than businesses wasting as much paper on mass mailings. It also encourages higher turnover and more frequent updating of the ads featured on the site.

This advent allows businesses big and small the ability to share information about their company and reach a broader spectrum of users.

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Perfecting Perfection

2006-08-08T18:05:00.000-04:00

The buzzword for the majority of those in marketing community as of late has been ‘Integrate.’ For one company however, you can add ‘Perfect’ to the list. The Patrón Spirits Company has launched a new multi-media campaign based on the age-old eye-of-the-beholder idea of perfection. The campaign entails the usual gambit of campaign tricks including: print, radio, television and billboard ads. All the ads are carefully formulated comparisons showing that “Some perfection is debatable. Some is not.” Each spot invites and inspires viewers to question their own version of perfection. The launch of their new website, SimplyPerfect.com allows the masses to weigh in and share their visions of perfection with the media of their choice. Whether and individual wants to blog, upload video or stream in audio of themselves and their opinion’s, it’s all up to the participant. Is this campaign perfect? Only time will tell.

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Videos Drive Online Promo

2006-08-01T12:47:00.000-04:00

Toyota is launching a Fun Little Movie (FLM) August 9, promoting Sprint and their new Toyota Camry accessories. It is called
"The Pool" and it is a collection of six short videos about carpoolers who use the Bluetooth connectivity with mobile devices. It will be accessible to all Sprint users with a video-enabled phone, but FLM’s network also reaches Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and the SmartVideo service for Windows smartphones. FLM is The Mobile Comedy Channel, and is also working with other companies ranging from auto to candy.

Marketing to the Web Savvy Generation

2006-07-24T14:18:00.000-04:00

"Advergamming" appears to be the new best thing when targeting the younger generation. Jeep is now catching on with an integrated marketing approach to their new Compass compact SUV, which is built more for city streets and is cheaper than previous models. They are focusing on creating a social network, dealing with MySpace and Facebook, and promoting contests such as "Jeep Compass Karaoke" through these channels. Consumers can create their own character sitting in the Jeep and can add songs the character can sing, and after submitted, their peers can vote on the winner. Another contests is called "Free Your Thoughts" where with cinema ads will purposely appear unfinished, then consumers are prompted to go online and create their own ad with Jeep-chosen music and images. After review, they will be posted and users can vote on the best ad. Both of these interactive campaigns will be launched within the next couple weeks. Jeep marketers feel the best way to reach the 22-30 year old market is with a 360-degree approach, utilizing all forms of media to be sure they get the message while they’re watching TV, talking to their friends online, and surfing the web. Alongside Jeep’s more traditional advertising, they are hopeful that these contests will grab the attention of the more fun-loving, Web savvy generation.

Are you a Tease?

2006-07-17T16:05:00.000-04:00

Being a tease can be so much fun. That is what Impulse is counting on to make their online marketing campaign successful. The website created is to help promote the spray on fragrance Impulse, which is suppose to have a similar affect as the Axe fragrance for men. The website is extremely interactive which is always important to have when developing these campaigns. What Impulse has done is create a game with various levels and helps you rank how good of a tease you really are. They have a galley so you can submit your own photos on the site. They have a place to download backgrounds and cards to send to your crush, they even have a place to upload ring tones. They are taking their scent and making sure it reaches an area that normally smells cannot go, technology! Of course this would not all be complete without a competition to enter the prize is a “walk-on-role” to the T.V. show “Home and Away” on channel seven. Good Luck Impulse.

British Airways School Americans

2006-07-10T20:43:00.000-04:00

Put away the foam fingers and chilidogs when traveling to London to watch the Wimbledon tennis match. The rule is when in London do as the Brits do. This would entail eating strawberries and cream and watching a “telly”. The British Airways just finished a very successful campaign, with over 25 percent of the users opting-in to their marketing database. This interactive online campaign taught Americans the proper etiquette at a tennis match, as well as, allowing users to play a match to win various prizes. The grand prize was a trip for two to London to see the final Wimbledon match. The British Airways is a Wimbledon sponsor and developed this campaign to offer in-depth information about London as well as generate BA awareness. The campaign ended July 10 and was put together through agency.com and was showcased on sport and news sites. “British Airways understands the importance of delivering great viral experiences to their customers,” said Tom Ajello, Vice President, Creative Director, Agency.com. “This campaign gives us the opportunity to capture the unique British sporting culture in a creative and playful way while demonstrating that British Airways knows London better than anyone.”

Summer Travel: Hot on the Web

2006-07-04T17:06:00.000-04:00

TripAdvisor, the division of Expedia responsible primarily for hotel reviews, is expanding with the hopes of being a prominent site to visit among summertime travelers. In an effort to expand, TripAdvisor is creating PDF guidebooks, all based on consumer information posted to the site. These downloadable books will feature helpful travel information for some of the summer’s hottest destinations. To increase downloads, TripAdvisor is launching in tandem a promotion where visitors can enter to win a trip worth up to $5,000 for downloading the guide and entering an email address. In addition, users who provide friends’ email addresses can gain entry into the grand prize sweepstakes. TripAdvisor hopes to increase traffic to the site by providing these guidebooks and will use the emails from the promotion for future email marketing campaigns.

Snakes Garner Viral Buzz

2006-06-26T13:22:00.000-04:00

"Snakes on a Plane" starring Samuel L. Jackson is set to release on August 18, 2006, and has already garnered massive viral buzz. Marketing efforts for the movie staged a huge online word of mouth campaign, generating consumer awareness all over the Web for the new movie. The results highlight the importance of viral and CGM for promotional efforts in the online world. For example, online fan kits were released last week to assist in this consumer buzz online, which included audio/video clips, AIM icons, logos, etc. In additional several promotions were launched via the Internet to give way to the movie’s hype, including a music contest where consumers could upload songs to compete for a spot on the "Snakes on a Plane" soundtrack. Just one more example of how important a strategic interactive marketing plan is in order to stand above the media noise and reach consumers.

EyeSpot the Artist in You

2006-06-19T17:40:00.000-04:00

Similar to the concept of YouTube, a new site has emerged. EyeSpot is a free, legal site that allows users to upload, combine, edit and mix multiple forms of digital media. For instance, take a video from your phone and upload it to the site, then add participating artist’s music or combine different music videos to create something all your own. A number of artists are participating by providing content.

EyeSpot is a great way for musical artists to promote themselves. To help enhance what is being produced, many artists are holding competitions and hosting online communities--furthering promotion of their music and name. This Web site helps close the gap between artist and consumer, and has a huge potential for developing fan followings for participating artists. In addition, there is a link on the site for people to promote the work they have created by blogging.

Enhancing its Ads eBay Reaches Out to the Web.

2006-06-13T11:07:00.000-04:00

eBay has been looking for new ways to help promote the items auctioneers are selling. The traffic to the auctions has declined and a new outlet is desired. To help combat this, eBay has developed a keyword advertising system, much like Google and Yahoo, to help promote the auction items on other Web sites. In return the affiliates will take a cut of 35 to 65 percent of sales, depending on the volume. eBay will be running a test of this program early next week. eBay differs from the Google and Yahoo ads, because it is a direct link only to eBay auctions, which will change as the listing items change, rather than stay stagnant.

Consumers Create Commercials

2006-06-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

For every viewer that’s ever watched a television commercial and thought to himself "I could have made that commercial" or even more "I could have made it better" or "funnier." Well Pepsi is now offering the chance. PepsiCo Shanghai (one of the many corporations around the world now implementing consumer generated content into its marketing strategy) has recently launched a site which invites and encourages consumers to be part of the creative process. Consumers participate in the "Pepsi Creative Challenge" by logging onto Pepsis micro site Pepsi163.com and submitting their 200 word or less script ideas that incorporate Asian superstar Jay Chow into the idea. Finalists will receive a $1,2500 and an invite to the launch party in October where the winning spot will be aired for the first time. The overall winner of the contest gets to pocket a cool $12,000 and help with the casting of the commercial.

Online Promo Digs Up Treasure

2006-05-30T11:28:00.000-04:00

Volvo and Disney are teaming up in a new online promotion. While Volvo hopes to promote the launch of its new XC-90 SUV, Disney's motivation is to create some anticipation for the launch of the new "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel, which opens on July 7th.

In keeping with the pirate theme, Volvo plans to create a Web based "treasure hunt." Participants must visit a Volvo dealership to obtain a treasure map, which will then direct them to the promotion site. Over the next month, entrants must solve a series of clues, that will eventually lead them to the buried treasure: A brand new Volvo XC-90.

The hunt will take place internationally and the first three Americans to dismantle all the clues will be flown to the secret location. There they join other finalists from around the world where they will have a chance to participate in a race of challenges. The winner of the competition gets to dig up the treasure and drive it home.

Music Makes its Way into Online Promotions

2006-05-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

Pepsi and Motorola have partnered with Yahoo Music by targeting music fans that will be able to download music for free. In this promotion, Pepsi and Motorola have teamed with Yahoo to offer ringtones with video attachments. These short clips will feature artist such as All American Rejects and Mary J. Blige. In order to receive this promotion consumers must purchase a Pepsi product and one in three will unlock the ringtones to be downloaded. This sweepstakes will be promoted on Yahoo’s front page, and Motorola will be traveling in a 12 week bus tagged "Live the Music" which will give away products as well as allow people to sign up online.

TiVo to Offer Commercials

2006-05-16T09:45:00.000-04:00

TiVo will be using a Web-video partner to bring broadband content to TiVo subscribers. In addition, TiVo will be offering a new service called "Product Watch" to allow subscribers to view commercials on demand. This service will allow consumers to choose what commercials they would like to view. This is interesting news, considering a Jupiter Research study cited ad-skipping on DVRs may cost networks upwards of 8 billion dollars this year.

The option to allow consumers to choose their commercials reminds marketers that consumers have been given more freedom to choose what they want to view, and that the online medium is becoming more important for convergence with traditional means in order to target consumers. The trend continues to move toward on-demand, user-directed content.