Basic Instinct 2 email...It's as Bad as the movie

For those of you who remember the shockingly graphic scenes from Paul Verhoeven's first Basic Instinct movie, you undoubtedly have a whole new meaning for an ice pick. Well after clicking through the promotional email for "BI2", I want to take that ice pick and take out my eyes. This piece of creative is lackluster and the strategy, while it uses a Drive-To-Web structure (which is great), the execution gets Two Thumbs way down. And they had such big brand partners too - Sony PSP, FHM and Casa Del Mar. Very surprising.

Let's take a look at how the email works, or in this case doesn't:

1. HTML email - Good striking imagery of a well-preserved Sharon Stone (Catherine Trammel) sitting seductively in a chair; smoking cigarette in hand and dress slit up to her...well...you know. She's sitting front of a shattered mirror with her victim in the reflection. It's a great image. But how hard could it have been to make the smoke animate or at least glow like it's lit? Missed opportunity #1. However, it did compel me to choose from 1 of the 2 choices and make a click.

2. Transition - First I chose to "be in control", but what I got was a web page full of text and a tiny image of a PSP. Way too much text and nothing very compelling at all. Plus there was a survey and then a huge profile to fill out. For what? The questions were actually quite funny if you actually read them, but no one gave me a reason to do so. Missed opportunity #2. The other choice was equally as poorly executed, but at least there was a more compelling background graphic.

(click on these images to see what happened when I clicked the email image)

(these emails were actually each presented vertically, but I reassembled for spacing on this blog)

3. Payoff - Not that anyone would ever take that much time to do all of this, but even if you did, then this was the reward for all my time and effort. A fricking static page with a "Thank You for Entering" message. Huge missed opportunity #3. Why not at least play the trailer for me or give me a clip of Sharon stabbing someone, or chasing someone, or just connect me to the Sony site for goodness sakes.
With all the promise and possibilities that rich media marketing can now provide, I couldn't have been more disappointed in this. MGM needs to be ashamed. I want my money back.

One Word, Benjamin..."Authorship"

Everybody looks for that one word that symbolizes an era, an age, a year, a month, a day (March 22nd is National Water Day, btw, as I learned in Keith Weaver's blog). For the Benjamin character in "The Graduate", that word was plastics.

Today there's an argument for "online video", "rich media marketing", even "avian flu" has probably made the list somewhere; none of which are technically one word.

I think the one word for the next few years is going to be AUTHORSHIP. Think about it. All the YouTube and Trailer Crasher and similar sites are all based on the concept of creating and sharing content to the masses. The broadband web is the vehicle, but the need has been and always will be the human desire to express himself or herself.

Madonna chose to use Evian bottles. OK. Good for her. Others have chosen online video sites, like this hilarious spoof of Apple iPod. Companies are picking up on the concept and power of Authorship in their product promotions, like this Slither Theater where you can "mix your own trailer" using clips, sounds and sfx.

Accentuating a brand's ability to talk with consumers is now even more vital since we all have less time and attention to spend with each precious brand impression. Engage, excite and educate - yes, always. But don't forget about giving an intuitive and compelling way for the consumer to talk back and author their own part of the marketing conversation.

We're Still Missing the Target

I get about a dozen rich media marketing newsletters everyday, not to mention all the content on my RSS feeds, Furl links and water cooler conversation ("hey'd you see that new site?"). It's enough to drive a guy insane. And they're all talking about the increasing use of video.

Well whoop-pid-eee-do.

Until we can integrate interactivty and a better sense of directing a viewer's choice through content, we're still missing the point.

The video components are not the story. They never havebeen. Video is the new jpeg, except now it's an mpeg. The really big news is the context with which all these jpegs and mpegs are combined. Sight, sound and motion on the web is great, but it's the interactivity that makes the web wonderful.

I read about this new promotional site for a video game called SOCOM3. Great site and good use of video, but it's presented like a TV show. Lots of video clips. Again, great interface and the content is actually cool...if you're in to that type of thing...but where's the interactivity? I can still lean back in my chair and skim through all the content. That's a passive style delivery just like TV. But the web is not just another delivery channel for TV. It's not.

Even more risque online promotions like this one for Lynx UK body spray (it's called Axe Body Spray here in the USA). Good use of video...if you're in to that type of thing...but where's the interactivity?

Rich media marketing can be so much more if we engage viewers in a conversation. Interact with them. Listen to them. Give them choices. Create environments where they can explore, decide, chose and ultimately find their own way to what they want.

That's my vision of the Rich Media Web.


Technorati Tags: rich media, rich media marketing

The Peacock Erects an Iron Curtain

In a previous post, I wrote about how NBC, in its infinite wisdom, took down the "Lazy Sunday" and "Natalie Raps" SNL shorts off YouTube. Well today I read in MediaPost that NBC has now decided to take back all its clips and put them on NBC.com. The rationale on the site is:

"Now, instead of searching the web for 'borrowed' NBC highlights, you can go to the source! We've taken your viral favorites and gathered them into one convenient location. Watch. React. Tell a friend."

OK, so I give it to NBC for putting everything in a place where you can watch everything at once, but they're missing the whole point. You can't control and force rich media marketing, and espeically viral video.

Viral is by its very definition organic and wild and free. This is more like erecting an iron curtain.

This is great for people who know about SNL, who know about NBC.com and who will take the time to search for the video clips on the Peacock's site. But the real value in having the video out on the web - morphing and growing and spreading to other sites and driving interest for NBC content.

I think NBC needs to use tried and true broadband marketing strategies and concentrate on making a stronger connection between its content and the network brand instead of putting all the content under an iron curtain on NBC.com. Give SNL to the people and let it grow stronger than any marketing exec could ever hope to.


Technorati Tags: rich media, rich media marketing

How to Use Online Video

A report recently surfaced discussing the age-old question, "does online research affect offline sales?" The eMarketer report proved 2 main points:

1. That 47% of respondents actually made a purchase after doing online research. Okay. Makes sense. I do most of my research at 10pm and most stores are closed when I have questions. So I go online to get initial answers.

2. The merchant site (Circuit City/Best Buy as opposed to Sony or Panasonic) beat out search for the #1 way people get buying information. Okay. Makes sense. I see billboards and signs for these retailers a lot more than specific brands, so I translate that to my online search habits.

So, the answer - of course it does. My question is how can we enhance the traditional online shopping experience - and is rich media marketing the answer? Since everybody is at different stages in the buying process, shouldn't I have access to different levels of information at each stage to push me along the sales and learning continuum?

For example, if I'm looking at buying a gaming console - this is a great place to go at first because it sets the stage and gives me a foundation to build on. Good use of video too.

Rich media marketing should be the first step - like the icing on a cake. And video makes for a great icing. It's short and sweet and sets the stage for deeper exploration. Maybe then I move to a more detailed education with PDFs and price comparisons. But I can't get there until I understand the basics. And those basics need to be explained to me - someone needs to interact with me and ensure that I comprehend.

This is where I think video can be most useful. Excite me. Educate me. Entertain me. Do these 3 things and I'll move along the sales process and hopefully end up in your store - brick or online.


Technorati Tags: rich media, rich media marketing, broadband marketing

The Amazing Juggler - What Can He Teach Us?

Ok, so the past two posts have really been clips of amazing video. Here's another one that really shows the importance of music and sound into your presentation. Great stuff.



But what does this say about the future of video online? I got this clip from Google Video and they had a link to embed this into my blog. Video is still in its infancy and everyone is clamoring to try and figure out how it's all going to work. Sharing video is great - but is there a business model? How does the fact that I can share video enhance the web experience? How could it be better?

All good questions...that we'll explore over the next couple of stories. What do you think? Anyone care to get the ball rolling...so to speak?

The Shot Heard Round the World

This has absolutely nothing to do with rich media marketing, but it's such a heart warming story, I just had to share it. Rudy and Radio have nothing on this kid. Check out the video from CBS News.

Incidentally - this video used to be free to the world on places like YouTube, but has now been trapped behind the CBS Steel Curtain.

Silly CBS.