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MediaPost's Out to Launch covers the debut of a viral campaign for the MTV Movie Awards which contains cutting room floor footage of auditions and award category clips that didn't make the final edit such as "Best Almost Topless Scene," "Best Man-Dog High Five" and Best Man In A Pirate Hat." The guys behind Two Headed Dog, NightAgency, crafted this one. There's also an MTVeatmovies.com viral that poses as a casting agency, Sunrise Casting Studios, which contains horrific faux audition clips for Troy, Ray and Spiderman.
Other wonders that pass for ad campaigns this week include an iTunes MSN Music campaign, Maxim's Mantropy which we covered here earlier, an online campaign for HBO's Entourage, a Mountain Dew billboard campaign that somehow gets pictures of passersby on the boards, a Spanish language campaign for GMC that focuses on community heroes and a Scott's Fertilizer STEP program-like campaign for local California home improvement chain Orchard Supply Hardware.
Either a bunch of pissed of bloggers really did create this "oh the horror of JibJab selling out" viral or Jib Jab created it itself to deflect criticism and reassert its wit. The clip is a spoof of the recent work Jib Jab did for Budweiser which some have called not great and an indication of sell out. We say shut up. Everyone sells out sooner of later. Sure Budweiser can be categorized as swill - as in the clip - but they have boat loads of promotional money.
Think for a minute. Do you want to see more lame beer babe ads or see something a bit more original from the likes of JibJab. Oh wait. Don't answer that. Of course you want more beer babes you hip, self important, Neanderthal advertising buffoon. Oh wait. We're all that too. We take that back. We want JibJab. Ditch the babes.
Highlighting certain jobs such as portable toilet cleaner, nursing home nurse and nanny, Verizon sympathizes in this viral video saying you won't need a job to afford its $5 per month unlimited text and picture messaging plan.
If you're interested in viral marketing, there's a business network you might consider joining. Hosted, as is the Adrants Network, on Soflow, the Viral and Word of Mouth Network is a network for people involved or interested in viral and word of mouth marketing. Launched at the beginning of May the network already has over 300 members including some of the top minds in the field. Join here if you're interested.
A French website promoting TransAtlantys, an undersea train providing eight hour travel between New York and Paris, was launched March 2 by DDB France and is causing a great deal of debate on discussion boards. Very likely, it's another viral marketing hoax. The site, which claims construction will start in June and take 11 years to complete, provides the opportunity for visitors to register for tickets. But, according to French speaking Adrants reader Richard Ollier, when you look at the conditions of the "Register to be the first", you have to claim your price before September 15, 2005 and travel between June 15, 2005 and December 31, 2005. There is mention of another date period between May 23, 3005 and June 2, 2005 but it's unclear what those dates represent. We're sure our French speaking readers will provide comment. Not to mention you folks at DDB France. We know you read us.
While we're no engineer, there is quite a bit of discussion on boards about the practical impossibilities of building such an undertaking and the speeds at which the train would have to travel to make the eight hour journey. Snopes has nothing yet but we're calling this one a hoax and will wait patiently for the true marketing goal behind this to rear it's head.
UPDATE: In comments, Adrants reader Bruno points out the travel site voyages-sncf.com is behind the hoax. A French story on the campaign is here.
MarketingVOX interviewed JibJab Founder Gregg Spiridellis about the success of the company's "This Land" viral and queried Spiridellis about transparency, importance of email lists and working for marketers.
New Zealand's 42 Below Vodka goes for cultural humor again in a new video clip that pokes fun at Britain with lines like "We particularly like the way Prince Phillip says whatever he wants and doesn't give a toss, he's like the grandfather us Kiwis never had because all ours were shot at Gallipoli". While we'd have to brush up on our international history to firmly grasp the full, inner meaning of that, we're sure it's supposed to be funny. As always, 42 Below likes to push the envelope> Remember, it was 42Below that poked fun at gays a while back.
Adrants reader Brandon Leigh sent us this site, created May 16 by Tim Schwartz according to Whois, which contains a video of people getting "brain freezes" from drinking 7-11 Slurpees. Leigh called 7-11 and claims the company wouldn't confirm or deny they were involved with the site. We've contacted Tim to see whether this is just a pet project or whether 7-11 is behind it. We'll let you know as soon as we do.
UPDATE: Site creator Tim Schwartz responded to our query with a very insightful, "I cannot confirm or deny that 7-11 was involved." Which, as we all know, means 7-11 is not (see below) involved.
UPDATE II: It seems we've forgotten to realize there's that Contagious Media viral contest going on right now and as Adland, correctly, points out, this, and, likely, many other virals swirling about right now were created simply to win the $2,000 prize. In hindsight, we agree with Adland, who always brings a sense of calm logic to our, sometimes, over eager gullibility.
Famous-for-nothing heiress Paris Hilton has been put to use again, this time, for a worthy cause, EndHunger, the Jeff Bridges, Hollywood celebrity cause whose mission is "to create and support media projects, programs and events to raise awareness and generate action to end childhood hunger." Because of the statement, "This site has been neither viewed nor approved by any parties mentioned or implicated herein," we assume this is an ad hoc, un-official viral effort created, simply, as a good will effort to raise awareness of the issue...or, to win the Contagious Media competition. We wonder, though, how excited Jeff Bridges would be knowing images of panty-challenged Paris were being used to promote his cause. See the promotion here.
We've been viraled! Received directly from the source, comes this Crispin Porter + Bogusky-created viral, called Sith Sense, for Burger King which invites visitors to pick an object then pose 20 questions to Darth Vader who will then guess what you are holding. It's always right, too. We were even welcomed personally with Darth uttering "Adrants." Quite cool. Thanks, CP + B.
UPDATE: In comments, Rick Bruner points out we're not so special. It speaks everyone's name that is entered into the send a friend feature. Oh well. For a moment there we thought we were special.
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