Sony Takes It Up the Ass For Fake Blog
OK. We'll say this one more time. Are all you marketers listening? Good. There's a big difference between a teaser campaign and one that maliciously hides it's purpose for long periods of time. And, on top of that, denies its true mission when it's found out. What the hell are we talking about? Take, for example, the teaser billboard. It's usually some irreverent play on words and witty imagery that's then reveled to be part of a larger campaign a couple weeks later. Now take fake blogs. You've heard of them. Edelman knows all about them. They are the things marketers seem to think are the holy grail of this new social media thing. Let's get down with our customers. Let's "join the conversation." Trouble is, a fake blog - one that pretends (badly) to be all hip hop on our ass - is like an idiot that shows up at a black tie event wearing American Eagle cargo shorts and a t-shirt. The natural reaction to that is, "Who the fuck is that idiot?"
So now we have social media idiot Sony with help from idiot agency Zipatoni throwing a fake blog at us called All I Want For Christmas is a PSP. On the blog, some guy "Charlie" is apparently helping his friend Jeremy get a PSP for Christmas. As AdFreak points out, the blog commenters are not amused and "Charlie's" defense of the blog is even less amusing. In reaction to commenter's complaints, "Charlie" writes, "yo where all u hatas com from... juz cuz you aint feelin the flow of PSP dun mean its sum mad faek website or summ... youall be trippin." Oh for fuck's sake. Is anyone at Sony awake? Do you know how stupid this makes you look? And once you've been found out, the least you can do is own up to it rather than spew fake hip hop speak.
UPDATE: Consumerist has all the videos that Sony removed from the site here.
Comments
"Gamers across Web 2.0 are shaking angry fists at the latest alleged viral marketing campaign orchestrated by Sony. Piggybacking the YouTube bonanza, the company has hired "consumer activation" firm Zipatoni to create a false video-and-blogging approach to generate interest in their flagging PlayStation Portable handheld machine. The video/blog/ads featured people portending to be authentic PSP fans creating messages of love/want for the console, but were quickly uncovered by SomethingAwful.com's dedicated base as superficial facades shielding mouthpieces for the corporation."
The article: http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/games/archives/2006/12/11/
new_sony_viral_marketing_ploy_angers_consumers.html
Sony can stick it up 7h3r3 arz!?!
I threw in the l337 speak for whomever wrote that stupid copy.
Do you think Sony sits around and discussed new and innovative ways that they can stick their foots into their mouths? It is beyond comprehension that someone actually wrote, designed and signed off on this without anyone saying, this is dishonest, but more importantly, the site is stupid and we are talking down to the customers we want most.
I love the Zipatoni website. They use “marketing” buzz words so frequently they actually feel as fake as their PSP blog! Try the "consumer anatomy chart" or their leadership video for a few minutes of bliss. I thought agency.com was hard to top but these guys are trying their best!
On their site also try the "overview" section.
It will show you a clip of employees saying they treat consumers like they treat themselves because they are consumers too. Lame.
Too funny - the sad thing is that if they simply came out with a campagin to support kids who want a PSP for Christmas it would have been better than this route. Create a fake character, like Johnny Marketer's evil twin or something. I am sure they were worried about the idea of marketing to children and pissing off the parents - which is a valid concern, but doing it as a ruse and then defending it is worse.
Still, there would have been so many ways they could have gotten the same result without being deceitful - can't wait to hear what the agency and Sony have to say about this in response.
The sad part is the Zipatoni group not knowing about this being exposed through their whois data (or perhaps this was part of the plan to get buzz by purposefully doing things that bloggers and ethical marketers would be upset by)
Domain Name: alliwantforxmasisapsp.com
Created on..............: Tue, Nov 14, 2006
Expires on..............: Wed, Nov 14, 2007
Record last updated on..: Tue, Nov 14, 2006
Registrant:
the ZIPATONI co.
Gregory Meyerkord
555 Washington Ave. 3rd Floor
St. Louis, MO 63101
US
Email: greg.meyerkord@zipatoni.com
Someone may want to share the following news story about the FTC's position on such matters w/Zipatoni and Sony:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121101389.html
For the full effect, you gotta see the videos they removed from the site.
Some guy went to a conference, heard about this new social media phenom, and said, "hear ye boys, we've got ourselves a genuine viral marketing campaign on ours here ye hands.
Great article, one in the face for the big corporation. love it
http://www.monster-psp.com
Great article, one in the face for the big corporation. love it
http://www.monster-psp.com
great posting, fantastic points.