April 2006
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Passionate evangelists and fans have already been compared to cults, so it was only a matter of time before a brand overtly created its own. Wrigley's White Orbit gum has launched a microsite that invites visitors to join the fictional "Friends of Bright" cult that centers around better smiles. The gummaker is clearly hoping the site goes viral and that "enlightened" visitors will invite friends to experience and interact with the brand.
As long as the Friends of Bright don't offer a flower and ask for a donation at the airport, mark this cult as a form of harmless experiential marketing fun.
More info:
http://www.friendsofbright.com
As advertising becomes more pervasive in video games, one developer is trying a different course. MindArk, the company behind multiplayer online role-playing game Project Entropia, has taken in-game advertising a step further by allowing users to create their own ads. Tools are provided that lets users design the ads and then buy time on virtual billboards.
Word of mouth is fundamentally about acknowledging that consumers in control of the brand message. It will be interesting to see how brands respond to users remixing and reshaping that message within a virtual world
More info:
http://www.project-entropia.com
Here's a WOM tip perfect for small businesses: find a partner who will promote your service for you. Inc. magazine recently wrote about a photographer who needed new clients. Instead of running an expensive ad, he and a dentist partnered to create a WOM referral program. It was simple: the dentist promoted the photographer's service to cosmetic surgery patients by offering them a chance to have their portraits taken for free. Not only did the photographer save money by having someone else promote his service, but he soon found himself with a steady stream of referred customers who came for the free portrait but were often interested in buying more.
More info:
http://www.inc.com/articles/2006/04/solomarketing.html
A study from the Pew Internet & American Life project reports that online social networks are playing a larger role in people's lives. Despite fears that the Internet weakens social ties, the report suggests the opposite is true. The study concluded that people are turning to others in online social networks mainly for:
* Assistance on important life-changing decisions.
* Expert advice from others to help them sort through their options at stressful moments in their lives.
* Information that allows them to compare and cross-check their options.
More info:
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/172/report_display.asp
Inc. magazine: Lies, Damn Lies, and Word of Mouth
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Nicholas Carr: Seven rules for corporate blogging
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David Meerman Scott: Anatomy of a Viral Marketing Campaign
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In a major milestone for the word of mouth industry, DuPont has become the first Fortune 100 marketer to require its employees and vendors worldwide to follow WOMMA's Code of Ethics. Issued in a statement from the company's Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, the full endorsement specifically indicated that DuPont will only engage word of mouth marketing services providers that adhere to WOMMA's Code of Ethics.
WOMMA congratulates DuPont for stepping forward and providing leadership on this issue. By working only with honest vendors, word of mouth marketing will continue to flourish and deceptive stealth marketers will find their services no longer required
DuPont's announcement will be discussed further in a special free teleconference on WOM Ethics this Wednesday. Call 512-225-3050 and enter passcode 772541#.
"Snakes on a Plane" has the kind of pre-release buzz that most studios would pay millions for. The movie doesn't even hit theaters until August 18 and yet it has already spawned a passionate grassroots community of fans. Not only are they filling up blogs and forums with talk of the movie, but some fans are creating their own trailers, videos, songs, fan fiction, and comic strips. The entire consumer-created frenzy has spread without any prompting from the studio producing the film (New Line) and has seemingly come about solely based on its iconic star (Samuel L. Jackson) and the goofy/catchy title.
Click here to read the Snakes on a Plane Blog
Click here to read a related news story
As advertising becomes more pervasive in video games, one developer is trying a different course. MindArk, the company behind multiplayer online role-playing game Project Entropia, has taken in-game advertising a step further by allowing users to create their own ads. Tools are provided that lets users design the ads and then buy time on virtual billboards.
Word of mouth is fundamentally about acknowledging that consumers in control of the brand message. It will be interesting to see how brands respond to users remixing and reshaping that message within a virtual world
Learn more
Nearly half (42%) of consumers will click on an email containing to find online video content and 29% will "occasionally" spread the word about a video they saw. Those are some of the key findings in a new report from the Online Publishers Association about the demographics of online video consumption.
With the ever-increasing popularity of viral clips, the data also showed that word of mouth is the main vehicle for consumers to share online video with each other:
* 44% forward an email with a link to the video
* 31% use a site's "tell a friend" option
* 31% talk about the video over the telephone
* 7% post a link on their blog
Learn more
Derek Powazek: Death to "User-Generated Content"
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San Francisco Chronicle: Social News Sites Rank Buzz
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Joel Cere: Intro to the World of Mash-Ups
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The WOMMA Job Board matches the best and brightest minds in word of mouth marketing with companies that are leading this amazing new field. No other jobs site exclusively features word of mouth marketing positions.
This week's featured word of mouth position is:
Viral Marketing Guru, Pinger, San Jose, CA
-------------------------------------------
Develop an evangelism strategy to drive positive awareness of the brand and service to thought leaders and influencers.
Learn more
"Altar Boyz", an Off-Broadway musical about a fictional boy band in the vein of N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys, has become an unexpected hit. The show's success is thanks in no small part to a growing fan base of self-proclaimed "altarholics" who have filled online forums and blogs with unabashed raves for the show. A community web site -- run by WOMMA member Affinitive -- keeps the fan base charged up with rewards for spreading the buzz and even hosted an "Altarholics Appreciation Day" event. The whole thing works because it gives excited fans something to talk about and the tools that make it easy to spread the word.
More info:
http://theater2.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/arts/music/04alta.html
Instead of merely reporting the cancellation of TV shows failing in the ratings, USA Today is giving fans a voice to help save them. For nine years, the newspaper has been running a "Save our Shows" poll every spring where fans are asked to clip a coupon and mail in their picks for programs that should be saved.
While there's no guarantee that the networks will listen, the poll does give them a chance to make decisions more informed by actual consumer sentiment. It also serves as a reminder on how newspapers can serve as a megaphone for grassroots word of mouth.
Learn more (and vote to save "Scrubs")
Book clubs have traditionally offered people a chance to find others with like-minded literary interests. But with the rise of online social networking, Bertelsmann subsidiary DirectGroup is attempting to transform its traditional book club business. The company is the early stages of bringing its book clubs online. Where most social networks cater to a younger consumers, though, DirectGroup is working with a customer base that trends toward an older demographic. As with building any community, the key is finding a common interest -- books, in this case -- among consumers and giving them the tools that make it easier for them to communicate with each other.
Learn more
Alloy Acquires Sconex High School Social Networking Site
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Podcast: Jack Trout Talks WOM with "Buzz Evangelists"
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1000heads: Is Viral Dead?
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Job: Motorola (Chicago, IL) is seeking a Web Marketing/Buzz/PR Marketing Lead to be the online counterpart to its Event and PR/Buzz marketing teams, with emphasis on driving global online experiences. To apply, go to http://www.motorola.com/careers and see job #45950.
>> Make a new hire? Have an open WOM, viral, or buzz job opening? E-mail editor@womma.org and let us know!
Convincing the boss or client to plan and implement a word of mouth strategy sometimes takes extra persuasion. Gary Spangler, eBusiness Manager for DuPont, shared his own tips for making the business case for WOM:
* Define your WOM target(s) -- Defining the target to reach the right audience and measure the results.
* Develop a black ops "quick start" campaign -- Start with something small and measurable.
* Sell WOM Internally -- Declare yourself the expert, pilot ideas online first, and create a steering committee.
* Enlist experts -- Look to an expert for advice and experience, but be sure to tailor any proposals for your company.
More info:
http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=3220
http://womma.org/wombat/blog/2006/01/howto_selling_w.htm
If you have a group of passionate fans -- like European football (soccer to the Yanks) has always inspired -- then it makes sense to create an online social network to connect them together. Nike and Google have teamed up to create an online social network focused on football called Joga. Short for 'Joga Bonito' (Portugeuse for "play beautifully"), Joga was launched as a lead-up to the 2006 World Cup. Available in 14 languages, the site has become one of the world's largest online social networks and connects millions of fans with each other and their favorite players.
Learn more:
http://www.joga.com
Springwise
When it comes to spreading word of mouth, offline communication still far outweighs the Internet. In a study from GfK NOP, face-to-face contact was cited by 80% of general consumers as the main way they give recommendations to each other. For influencers, that number was even higher at 90%.
The telephone was the second most popular medium for word of mouth at 68%. Surprisingly, email was mentioned as the key medium for less than half of consumers:
* Personal email -- 37%
* Email forwarding -- 32%
* Mass emails -- 12%
More info:
http://www.gfkamerica.com/news.asp?go=news_item&key=159
Fast Company: Word of mouth is the real deal
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Washington Post: Steve Rubel Q&A on word of mouth
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Job: Dow Jones (South Brunswick, NJ) is seeking a Marketing Manager for Promotions and Buzz Marketing to create online and offline promotions using buzz marketing techniques to drive subscriber acquisition and usage of its various media properties. Information on how to apply can be found at http://www.dowjones.com/Careers/Careers.htm (see job #106201)
>> Make a new hire? Have an open WOM, viral, or buzz job opening? E-mail editor@womma.org and let us know!
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