Marketing 2.0

Paris Hilton's Spicy Commercial

Here's a link to Paris Hilton's controversial commercial for Carl's Jr. hamburgers. It has generated a lot of criticism for being overtly sexual. Take a look at decide for yourself. I viewed the commercial several times (purely in the interest of marketing research) and here's my observations:

- There's absolutely no redeeming qualities here, no brand message, no strategic positioning. It's pure titillation for the male audience and it succeeds at just that.

- Like her or hate her, you have to admit that Paris Hilton knows something about marketing. Tom Peters talks about "the brand called me" — Paris could have written the book on this.

- I hate being manipulated by advertisers at the most base level. Can't we have intelligent marketing? OK, it's just hamburgers after all.

- I would object to this commercial appearing on television as my 12 year-old son surfs the channels. I'm not a prude but I really do despise the overtly sexual content that's all over broadcast television lately.

- People are becoming famous (or infamous) for the strangest things lately. It seems that we Americans have a mania for celebrity status, sort of a collective celebrityitis.

- I'm not persuaded to eat at Carl's after watching this commercial. Hopefully, that doesn't mean I'm over the hill.

- OK, here's my last comment. The girl does have a nice pooper.

Link: Paris Hilton Commercial.

Funnyfox - Viral Firefox Marketing

Is this the ultimate viral marketing campaign? Firefox is not only an open-source program developed by volunteers but it's also being marketed by user communities rather than professional marketing firms. Click on this link to view 3 short video clips made to promote the browser. While these were produced by a marketing agency called Pozz, the overall effort is part of the volunteer effort to promote Firefox.

Link: The Notebook - Funnyfox.

The Amazing Rise of the Do-It-Yourself Economy

I came across this excellent article from Fortune on the do-it-yourself economy. The article profiles a guy building his own MP3 player in the basement of his home, along with the help of various outsourced suppliers and partners. A good point is made - this type of thing used to be unthinkable unless you were independently wealthy or had great connections in an industry.

One key change wrought by new technology is the empowerment of the individual. In some ways, it's a return to the days of the craftsman, when individual talent and creativity were the primary components of success, rather than access to capital.

Link: Technology - The Amazing Rise of the Do-It-Yourself Economy - FORTUNE.

What Every Good Marketer Knows

Here's a great posting from Seth Godin's blog on the fundamentals that every marketing professional should know. Here are some of my favorites among the points that Seth makes:

- Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand.

- Conversations among the members of your marketplace happen whether you like it or not. Good marketing encourages the right sort of conversations.

- What people want is the extra, the emotional bonus they get when they buy something they love.

- Good marketers tell a story.

Click on the link to see the rest of the Seth's manifesto on good marketing.

Link: Seth's Blog: What Every Good Marketer Knows.