Seems like the prevalence of viral marketing and social networking has not come without its share of caveats. Less regulation and more freedom can be a good thing…or in some cases can fall flatter than soda left out in the sun.
The newest member of the ’sexist’ club is none other than Method. You know those devilish little scrubbing bubbles, crudely leering at the helpless naked woman in the shower? Uh yeah, apparently some view it as sexist and even condoning rape.
Method has since pulled the video. But looks like those scuzzy little suds could take a lesson from Spiderman—”With great power comes great responsibility.” Even on the Internet.
Unless you’ve been living in a cave this week, you’ve most certainly heard of the Jim/Pam wedding on “The Office.” According to Philadelphia Daily News critic Ellen Gray, “Thought the hype had killed ‘The Office’ wedding for me. But I’m all choked up.”
So, how did they do it? Yes, everyone was über-excited to see Jim and Pam walk down the aisle, but many worried that the overexposure and massive media coverage would kill the special event. But with the help of social media, the Thursday night favorite managed to tug at the heartstrings of fans and critics alike.
Starting with Dwight’s Three Wolf Moon T-shirt and culminating in the charming-yet-ridiculous wedding dance set to Chris Brown’s Forever, “The Office” was like an hour long love letter to social media.
Read more about the spooftastic sitcom success here and here.
Talk about corporate buzzkill. YouTube may be the promised land of affordable, grassroots advertising reach and brand awareness for companies big and small. But YouTube giveth… and YouTube also taketh away. When alt-country crooner Dave Carroll hit a brick wall complaining to United about his damaged guitar (victim of the airline’s baggage-handling), he didn’t get mad. He went viral. His song, “United Breaks Guitars” has received over 4 million views on YouTube and massive online attention. Check out the video below and read more about Dave’s story here.
A very simple and effectively executed advertising spot for Samsung’s HD camera, the video revolves around an “ordinary” guy in his apartment performing an impossible feat. Interesting to note that it doesn’t matter if anything was actually done, the piece engages the viewer and has a very high replay value. Successful branding done on the fly and for relatively little money (I would imagine).
