Nokia's Viral Marketing

Here's a link to a quick commercial on YouTube UK for Nokia. It's part of a promotional campaign that includes field marketing (personal contact with consumers in offices, stores, on the street, etc), prizes, and more. OK, the magic trick looks a bit lame if you know how it works, so don't read any of the comments till you watch.

Visit Unruly Media's Top 20 Viral Videos to see other popular commercials that have gone viral around the world.

Backstage 101 in Sony's Online Learning Center

Got questions about digital photography, digital videos, PC tech, or home entertainment tech? Get answers at Backstage 101, Sony's Online Learning Center with free (yes, free) how-to courses in bite-size modules (complete with quizzes). Q&A and discussion forums reflect the high level of the course content and the attentiveness of the instructors.

This is the kind of extra support that makes Sony customers so loyal--and encourages non-customers to add Sony to their consideration set. The whole idea is a definite marketing plus for savvy Sony.

Just Means . . . Where Good Work Lives

Today's visit to a local Best Buy store, where I noticed a battery recycling center, prompted me to visit its web site. That's where I learned that Best Buy is a founding member of JustMeans.com, which has as its vision "a world where companies integrate social and environmental initiatives into their core business strategies."

The JustMeans site facilitates social networking to foster communication between consumers and corporations about the issues. And I'm delighted to note the involvement of the Pearson Foundation, which is connected to my US and UK publishers.

clipped from www.justmeans.com justmeans, where you can talk to companies about their social & environmental impact. clipped from www.justmeans.com

Whopper Sacrifice

Good or silly use of Facebook for promotional purposes? Burger King is offering a free Whopper for every 10 "friends" you de-friend on Facebook, to demonstrate what people will sacrifice for a whopper.

Thanks to Jim B for pointing this one out with the comments: "Twisted. Begrudging respect to Burger King." Totally agree. At this moment, nearly 60,000 people have been "de-friended" on Facebook in the name of a free Whopper. This promo looks like a winner with people willing to laugh all the way to a Whopper.

Home Depot Ends Olympian Program

As this photo from Home Depot's site shows, the retailer has supported Olympic and Paralympic athletes since 1992 with a unique jobs program that allows them flexible hours and a living wage so they can afford to train. Now that program is ending because the retailer must tighten its economic belt to cope with recessionary pressures. More info in this news story.

Although I understand that Home Depot's financial situation requires major changes, I'm sorry to see its Olympic support go away. The retailer really polished its image with the Olympic program, even including its Olympic employees in advertising, etc. I'm especially disappointed because Olympic hopefuls are in full training mode for the 2010 winter Olympics and some may not be able to continue training at the level they need to make the U.S. team. Will another sponsor step up?

Inaugural souvenir from USPS

So much of the merchandise on display in post offices is outdated (bearing images of 30-something-cent stamps, for instance). Almost no items have a price tag, either, so customers have to wait on line to ask before they make up their minds. I wish the USPS would get out of the merchandise business, which it doesn't understand, and concentrate on letter and parcel delivery.

This inaugural souvenir is, however, a good fit for the USPS: It's a special "mailing" reminder of an historic event that will draw many millions of viewers in person and on TV. I particularly like that it's being sold online.

Good-for-the-planet Nonprofit Fundraising

Recently a school-age relative asked me to participate in her school's fundraiser selling eco-friendly items from Greenraising. I received a link to the Greenraising site and completed my purchase online, with credit for the purchase going to the proper school (and class).

My purchases arrived in earth-friendly wrapping and are good quality as well as being eco-safe. In fact, everyone in the family made purchases and we were all pleased with the results (plus the school benefited, of course).

Bottom line: I hope more schools choose this kind of fundraising program, rather than selling candy etc.

clipped from www.greenraising.com The perfect way to raise funds for your non-profit! How It Works Register Your Non-Profit

Applying Science to Marketing

The NY Times reports on a new neuromarketing venture to analyze the way people mentally process public service ads.

What a wonderful idea--using neuromarketing to fine-tune PSAs so they capture attention, touch people intellectually and emotionally, and have a better chance of affecting attitudes and behavior.

Watch for new, improved messages, even better than the old standby taglines "This is your brain on drugs" and "Only you can prevent forest fires."

clipped from www.nytimes.com A Neuromarketer on the Frontier of Buyology After viewing ads on obesity, a consumer is given food choices: healthful or not. The prefrontal lobe, in crosshairs, shows new activity. Did the message get through?

Got Photos? Get Printing

Holiday photos waiting to be printed? Good news: There's a bit of a price war going on in the photo printing business. My guess is that the number of actual prints has plateaued or is already on the decline because people are storing their images digitally and printing very selectively. Digital photo frames will also start to cut into the photo printing business.

Customized photo books seem to be gaining ground. They're ubiquitous and convenient, certainly much faster and easier to create than crafty, time-intensive scrapbook albums. And many photo services are offering specials on photo books at this time of year. Time to get printing.

clipped from www.winkflash.com clipped from www.snapfish.com clipped from www.kodakgallery.com

Worst & Best Ads of 2008 - Multiple Views

Happy new year! It's time once again for "worst & best" lists of everything in the public eye. Here, the NY Times, Slate, and Wall Street Journal discuss their picks in the world of advertising. What stands out, for me, is the urgent need to stand out in a cluttered media environment.

With the Super Bowl just weeks away, I'm sure we can look forward to seeing a number of new commercials that will wind up on the "best & worst" lists for 2009.

clipped from www.nytimes.com clipped from www.slate.com Ads We HateThe worst commercials on television. clipped from online.wsj.com