Say No To Dirt

Imagine you're a marketing manager for a company that makes toilets. Your company just came up with a spiffy new self-cleaning model. What do you do?

Most marketing managers would talk about their "flexible, scalable solutions for toilet cleaning processes using cutting edge technology" or some such gobbledygook.

Not CWS.

Instead of yakking about their product, YouTube shows how it works. A million people have seen this video via word-of-mouse.

Instead of selling, can you find a way to tell your story?

Comments

[Oritseyemi Emmanuel Madamedon]

That was cool.
For a split second, I thought that paragon of beauty was going to successfully sniff her poison. Glad it was flushed away.
I trust you enjoyed your vacation.

[Oritseyemi Emmanuel Madamedon]

Opps! I meant holidays.

[C. Edward Brice]

HI David;

I get your point of communicating in clear sesame street simple ways regarding your solutions and services. However as a steward of the brand I don’t know that I would want my company or product associated with coke snorting 80's throw backs.

I think the push to getting viral video that works will provide new and even greater tasteless attempts to get awareness. As a counter point check out the viral video from Lawson Software that parodies my own company, and Oracle. I also think the "Art of Mainframe" is "On Brand" with IBMs brand vision and tonality.

As for CWS I wonder if they have a brand vision to guide attempts such as these. Main point is don’t forget your brand vision and strategy when doing viral video. You could have some disastrous results.

Or maybe I'm just too old.

ED

[David Meerman Scott]

Ed

You're right. These sorts of videos are not for every company and I'm sure some people at CWS freaked when they saw this.

But I think what's worse is being so stodgy and corporate. People want authenticity and humanity from companies.

Thanks for reading and taking the time to comment.

Best David

[Shama Hyder]

Hi David,

Have you seen any examples of a service firm being able to pull off such an ad?

[Abby]

Great idea. I love what we can do with You Tube!

[Ryan]

While I do sympathize with Ed's comments...I think this is the trap most organizations fall into.

"Well, I can't get away with THAT at my company"

Maybe not...but what can you do that's different? Stand out? Emerge from the clutter?

Many large companies will settle for the "flexible scaling solutions" like David speaks of. Why? Because it's easy. Because your website and collateral needs to look professional and corporate i.e. like everyone else's

Sure there are some people who will find a negative slant on this but the ones that act on it will most likely be in the minority.

A professor of mine once told me that the job of a marketer is to create an emotional response. Whether it is positive or negative...it doesn't matter. It's better than not generating a response at all.

I am not suggesting that you should try and generate a negative emotional response...but you have to take a chance once in awhile.

Through my experience, the best pieces of collateral are the ones that you are somewhat nervous about when you release. IF it feels "safe", it's probably boring.

[John Calkins]

What a genius way to make a subject sexy and set in stone in your mind. Who wants to talk about toilets or how to maintain a clean toilet seat? I will always remember the self cleaning seat, but after only watching the video once I don’t know who the brand is. http://hotcookies.net

[Lori]

I think it is a great way to cut through the clutter to get the point across. Definately gets the campaign viral, but is all this reaching the intended target market. Will the people who watch this get a great laugh or will they want to purchase the product?