[Mac User #001]

I first paid attention to it when Halo 3 was at it, and then really became interested in it with the rise of Cloverfield. Now I'm looking in to The Dark Knight and whatever comes along with it.

What about the rest of you? How do you feel about it? What are your favorite campaigns?

Lets try to keep spoilers out of it though, for those who haven't seen those certain movies or who would rather just see the movie than get all this information before its even out.

[peeb]

I hate it - it's so fake.

[iMOTOR]

It should be over by now but some people in this business wont let it go.

[pooka]

Game was over as soon as people started describing themselves as specialist in viral marketing.

[turtle777]

Only if deadly viruses are involved.

-t

[Chuckit]

It's generally way too forced and pointless for me. But it still seems to work.

[BasketofPuppies]

Sometimes it's fun; sometimes it's annoying.

All I ask is that people be open about it. There is nothing more annoying than someone on an Internet message board constantly promoting a product/service/company (or disparaging a competitor) and claiming to to do so because he or she is just a big fan. Especially since "truth in advertising" tends to be ignored by such people.

[Mac User #001]

Originally Posted by peeb 

I hate it - it's so fake.

Well, its all fake, isn't it?

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by BasketofPuppies 

Sometimes it's fun; sometimes it's annoying.

All I ask is that people be open about it. There is nothing more annoying than someone on an Internet message board constantly promoting a product/service/company (or disparaging a competitor) and claiming to to do so because he or she is just a big fan. Especially since "truth in advertising" tends to be ignored by such people.

Wait, are we talking about viral marketing tie-ins (like with The Dark Knight and Lost) or astroturfing?

[peeb]

Originally Posted by Mac User #001 

Well, its all fake, isn't it?

Well marketing "Here's my product - I think you should buy it" is at least an honest expression of a communication. Viral marketing is pretending to be something else.

[Rumor]

Most effective viral marketing I have yet seen is by Nintendo.

[Mac User #001]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Well marketing "Here's my product - I think you should buy it" is at least an honest expression of a communication. Viral marketing is pretending to be something else.

I don't really think viral marketing is in the same breath as traditional marketing though.

Those who get in to the viral marketing already plan on buying the product. At least, thats what I've learned so far.

You really have to be looking for it to see it, you know?

[BasketofPuppies]

Originally Posted by Chuckit 

Wait, are we talking about viral marketing tie-ins (like with The Dark Knight and Lost) or astroturfing?

Viral marketing comes in many forms, including astroturfing.

Though I suppose that it could be argued that astroturfing is ambush marketing, not viral marketing, but I've always considered ambush marketing to be a form of viral marketing.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Well marketing "Here's my product - I think you should buy it" is at least an honest expression of a communication. Viral marketing is pretending to be something else.

I think you misunderstand viral marketing.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Viral marketing and viral advertising refer to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives (such as product sales) through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of pathological and computer viruses. It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet.[1] Viral marketing is a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily.[2] Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, interactive Flash games, advergames, ebooks, brandable software, images, or even text messages. The basic form of viral marketing is not infinitely sustainable.

It is claimed that a satisfied customer tells an average of three people about a product or service he/she likes, and eleven people about a product or service which he/she did not like.[3] Viral marketing is based on this natural human behavior.

The goal of marketers interested in creating successful viral marketing programs is to identify individuals with high Social Networking Potential (SNP) and create Viral Messages that appeal to this segment of the population and have a high probability of being passed along.

The term "viral marketing" is also sometimes used pejoratively to refer to stealth marketing campaigns[4]—the use of varied kinds of astroturfing both online and offline [5] to create the impression of spontaneous word of mouth enthusiasm.

[peeb]

I'm thinking of that last comment.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by peeb 

I'm thinking of that last comment.

Which the term is used in a derogatory sense.

[peeb]

That's right. That's how I feel about it.

[- - e r i k - -]

I believe the original poster was asking about a particular type of viral marketing: the Alternate Reality Game or ARG for short. If you are interested, here's an article I wrote on this:

Newsvine - Remember Evan Chang - Alternate Reality Games

[Mac User #001]

Yea, e r i k, thats it. Good article by the way.

At least, thats some of it. There seems to be no boundary to viral marketing.

[peeb]

That seems less about marketing and more about providing a more immersive experience for players already playing the game, no?

[Mac User #001]

*shrugs* I didn't name it. But its not about those already playing the game. Or watching the movie. This is all before release. Hype.

[xi_hyperon]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

I believe the original poster was asking about a particular type of viral marketing: the Alternate Reality Game or ARG for short. If you are interested, here's an article I wrote on this:

Newsvine - Remember Evan Chang - Alternate Reality Games

Good stuff. What amazes me is how seriously some people take ARGs. OOG!

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by peeb 

That's right. That's how I feel about it.

Viral marketing doesn't have to be derogatory or a misinterpretation of what the product is. Essentially, instead of spending large amounts of money on traditional advertising, you use word of mouth, or more recently, the internet by coining a phrase or a term that is bound to attract attention.

Again, Nintendo did the best job I have seen. When the name of their console was released as the Wii, it spread across the internet like wildfire. Much more effective than any standard marketing program ever could hope to be.

[KeriVit]

Viral marketing works best when people realize it is blatent advertising but still seek it out and share it. The Axe Effect did some nice stuff. The virtual bartender was huge for beer.com and subservient chicken was a big hit for BK.