Agency personnel, in a first, are speaking out in defense of their bad marketing blogs. They say they’re good.
Grey to Jaffe:
I appreciate you taking notice of the fliptomexico.com website. But, as a member of the agency who created the campaign, I’d like to correct a few of your misconceptions.
Why didn’t we link it to frontier’s website? Because this campaign isn’t from Frontier. It’s not written in their voice. It’s from Flip and his supporters, who are fighting Frontier. Why would they link their site to Flip’s, and vice-versa? That wouldn’t make sense. (To your point, most clients would have insisted on links. Ours understood the wisdom of leaving it off)
Concerning the campaign itself, Frontier’s advertising is tremendously popular in Colorado. If you lived there, you’d realize this. It’s a Denver thing, and the advertising connects with the target market on a deep emotional level which I’ve never experienced in my 15 years in the business. It’s truely part of the public culture.
As far as Flip goes, anyone familiar with the campaign (which is nearly everyone in Colorado) knows that Flip is the fall guy who never gets what he wants: a warm weather route. The public is getting behind this guy, rooting for him. They clearly enjoy playing the game. (Take an hour and read the comments on the petition. I think you’ll see that it really is genuine).
I encourage you to continue to visit the site. It is, by all accounts, a success so far. The “fake” news coverage has already been supplemented by real news. Articles have been written in all the local pubs (and some national ones, too.) And, if you follow it to the end, I think you’ll enjoy how this will all play out. I know our target market will…and that’s what really counts.
Oh yeah – and try to lighted up. You’re so cynical!
For another dose of take-it-easy-you-blogger-nerds, let’s examine how one character from a blog comes to life in the comments area of the ad blog that dared criticize her fakeness.
Well, I now see what happens when someone tries to spread a little extra love in the world, and it makes me sad.
McKinney is doing great work for me, and I take full responsibility for the content of the pherotones.com site.
I expected a vigorous scientific debate, not a slobbering geekfest over the ethics of advertising and marketing on the web (How oxymoronic can you get?)
If my ideas threaten the establishment, then let’s debate them openly and strenuously, this issue you raise is a red herring meant to distract from the true question: Do Pheromoes exist, and if so, do they work.
My message of hope and sexual fulfillment for all of mankind deserves a thorough examination, but lets talk about my Hypothesis, not my marketing plan.
Let’s have that debate at my blog pherotones.blogspot.com. I welcome all comers.
Very sincerely yours,
Dr. Myra Vanderhood
[email protected]
Some people say some stuff and then the character comes back for more.
Lots of comments, here, and not a single audiologist, biologist, physiologist, neurologist or organic chemist in the bunch?
Sad…you don’t even know enough to refute my science.
Hard to take any of you seriously until you can make a strong case that pherotones do not exist.
Science is a lot more fun than advertising theory and criticism.
The signal to noise ratio over here is very low.
Posted by: Dr. Myra Vanderhood on January 19, 2006 06:45 PM
To recap, we have two charcater blogs, one written by a dolphin for an airline, another for a yet to be announced client, possibly Qwest. Some ad critics say they don’t like it, although they can see some charm in it. Representatives from the agencies involved defend their campaigns in the very bloatosphere that dares speak against their better knowledge. All sides have a laugh.
[UPDATE] The humor gets better. Steve Hall realized McKinney’s media department had arranged to buy ad space on his blog, Adrants. Ouch! Now, he’s “covering his tracks,” making fun of himself.
While we understand advertising supports this site and, generally, makes the world go ’round, our pompous rantings at the doorway of our sales director were brushed off with a quick “go pointlessly bitch about another lame viral campaign. They pay for your ass, you idiot!” Our ego bruised, it is with our utmost apologies, dear readers, that we subject you to the hypocrisy Adrants has thrust upon you.
