Wright of Way

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

When is Rich Media Marketing...Just Rich?

So I was reading my overflowing inbox and I come across a story in the New York Post about online ad spending. But that's not the story. The story is the ad on the site from Lincoln. Not the Cornhusker capital, but the car company. Here's the ad that was wedged in between copy. It's called "Lovely By Surprise."


You click on this and you get a movie trailer about some wierd movie called "Lovely By Surprise". The trailer looks like an American Express commercial - it just has that ad feeling - but it's really content/entertainment, I think. The site is interesting, but confusing. Still, the aspiring screenwriter in me made me click deeper into the site.

Then I noticed that Ford is actually sponsoring the site. So as any marketer would ask himself or herself - will this site help the struggling Ford Company (who makes the Lincoln Navigator) sell more cars? Does it have to? Obviously the Surprise site is part of a much larger and more complex integrated marketing effort ,which arguably hasn't really worked for Ford given the recent massive layoffs. So why put so much time and money into this effort...especially now?

When is rich media marketing just rich?

Thursday, April 06, 2006

The Low Down on Mash Ups


In a previous post about the big trends in rich media marketing today, I wrote about how the concept of "authorship" - giving consumers the power to create, react, publish and own a piece of the brand - is going to increasingly drive marketing strategy.

I have another example of that. Mash Ups. We're seeing more and more of these as broadband again opens the possibilities to share and create rich media marketing experiences that not only promote brand products and services, but also ingrain customers in these brand experiences. That's the key. Take a look at some of the recent video Mash Up greats:

Take the Lead

Slither

Creative Commons even has a quick tutorial for those of us not as familiar with the concept or how to Mash Up audio tracks.

This tactic is all part of a larger rich media marketing strategy. Showing others about what you're selling is one thing, but getting them to play with it and share it with their friends is pure marketing nirvana. This is another huge benefit to rich media marketing. It makes your brand more personal, extending the exposure in a more friendly and familiar light.

Think about it - which movie would you go and see - one that Ebert recommends or one that your best friend recommends?

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