Archives for posts with tag: viral marketing

Pauly D and Baskin-Robbins. Obviously.

May 7, 10 //
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In a bizarre bit of “viral promotion,” Baskin-Robbins has introduced a Facebook game featuring Jersey Shore “star” Pauly D. Likening their new soft-serve blends to Pauly D’s hot DJ mixes, you can drop in pre-selected beats and make a “remix.”

It’s nothing special, as far as online advertising goes, but we have to wonder when watching Pauly’s intensely stoic performances in the Flash game, is that the best Baskin-Robbins could get from Pauly? He’s clearly working off cue cards, and his expression is as motionless as his Aquanetted hair helmet. Evidently, acting like a douchey DJ in real life is easy, but faking it proves difficult for Mr. D.

I highly recommend playing with the game to watch Pauly’s various scripted responses. Additionally, if you post a “mix” to your wall, you get a coupon for a free music download with the purchase of a “31 Below.” One can only hope it’s for a terrible trance/house track that the Jersey Shore-ites dance to.

Say goodbye to MTV, say hello to NSFW

December 10, 09 //
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A few weeks ago, we put up a post about the way the music video had evolved on the internet. Little did we know that immediately after posting said “state of the music video,” that we’d see another trend show itself on the blogosphere.

It’s only logical that as the music video moved from TV to the web that the form would move away from the FCC restraints of basic cable to garner attention, and if there’s one thing that the last decade of internet shows, it’s that everyone loves a NSFW video. With only a few exceptions (recall the late-night showings of the awesome but very R-rated “Smack My Bitch Up” video), MTV kept their programming to a family-friendly PG-13, even for the most inflammatory artists.

Here are three recent videos that have made the most of the freedoms afforded to them on the good ol’ world wide web — and yes, these are very NSFW.

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still obsessed with miracle whip.

November 3, 09 //
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I don’t want to harp too much on the currently much-maligned Miracle Whip ad that has been on the blog twice already, but something about this video is eating at my brain. My girlfriend began playing devil’s advocate about whether or not the video was effective, and my mind opened up and entered a new world of post-ironic new web marketing.

Were Miracle Whip right all along???

I still want to say no — just because a video gets watched, doesn’t mean a campaign is successful. Miracle Whip, with these videos, are looking to attract a new audience using earnest value statements, and trying to connect their brand to ideas of individualism, rebellion and youthful exuberance. Recalling that Miracle Whip is a mayonnaise brand, this is a silly idea, as I’ve never thought about how my sandwich condiments reflect who I am as a person, with the exception of grilled onions — they show my creative side. Miracle Whip took a general marketing concept, attaching personal values to a product, and twisted it into the first 30-second spot to feature potato salad AND DIY Brooklyn rooftop parties.

But again, let me reiterate my crippling fear that Miracle Whip are actually totally right and because I’m posting about it on my blog, they have succeeded in a viral marketing coup, because I’m now their source of word-of-mouth online mayonnaise buzz. To be fair, is their bizarre “We Will Not Tone It Down” Obama-esque declaration for their mayonnaise brand any different than the surreal Absolut Vodka ads done by Zach Galifinakis and Tim and Eric? Yes, but no. I laughed out loud at both, and even though only one was funny on purpose (I think), I found myself sharing both with everyone I knew. Did I secretly not want to tone it down???

Perhaps the Miracle Whip campaign is truer to the spirit of raw “viral videos” like Keyboard Cat or other “accidental” viral videos — its sharability is spontaneous, unplanned and perhaps more authentic. So did Miracle Whip get me in on their marketing plan by accident? Is my self-proclaimed internet savvy no match for Miracle Whip’s brilliant advertising techniques?

I still say no — at the end of the day, the advertisement created by Miracle Whip doesn’t get me on board with the values they are trying to associate with their product, and that’s where their video fails. And although it has “virality,” this isn’t a viral video, it’s an advertisement, and advertisements are supposed to connect customers with a product. When I buy mayonnaise, no matter how many times I Twittered their ads, I’m probably still buying Best Foods.

And although I have now posted two rants about Miracle Whip’s new advertisements, I won’t be hunting for their tangy zip in my grocer’s mayonnaise sections.

Because I’d really prefer it if they toned it down.