How Not To Go Viral

Here are a few lessons for all you marketers who think you can create a viral marketing campaign.

1. Don’t Pretend to be Mr. Consumer Dude
Both Adfreak and Adrants (who know their shit) point out that Sony’s attempt at a viral campaign for the PSP — all i want for xmas is a psp — blows. Why?

Now take fake blogs. You’ve heard of them. Edelman knows all about them. They are the things marketers seem to think are the holy grail of this new social media thing. Let’s get down with our customers. Let’s “join the conversation.” Trouble is, a fake blog - one that pretends (badly) to be all hip hop on our ass - is like an idiot that shows up at a black tie event wearing American Eagle cargo shorts and a t-shirt. The natural reaction to that is, “Who the fuck is that idiot?”

So now we have social media idiot Sony with help from idiot agency Zipatoni throwing a fake blog at us called All I Want For Christmas is a PSP. On the blog, some guy “Charlie” is apparently helping his friend Jeremy get a PSP for Christmas. As AdFreak points out, the blog commenters are not amused and “Charlie’s” defense of the blog is even less amusing. In reaction to commenter’s complaints, “Charlie” writes, “yo where all u hatas com from… juz cuz you aint feelin the flow of PSP dun mean its sum mad faek website or summ… youall be trippin.” Oh for fuck’s sake. Is anyone at Sony awake? Do you know how stupid this makes you look? And once you’ve been found out, the least you can do is own up to it rather than spew fake hip hop speak.

2. Don’t Roll Over From the Start
The Thumb-vertising site is a great idea, and both Adrants and the MIT Advertising Lab comment on it. It’s a funny concept that does a fine job of both mocking marketing itself and promoting a product. But, despite the fact that the MIT folks either don’t notice this or choose not to give it away (”Don’t know if these people are for real but they must be all thumbs”), the site tells you it’s fake: