entertainment for eyeballs

As you fast forward your tivo past the ads of the latest episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, marketers are busy trying to get your eyeballs back. Where are they hunting for your eyes? Everywhere besides the traditional advertising avenues. No, Detroit is not giving up on the glossy ads of the latest tough guy truck ad in the latest issue of Maxim. The Superbowl will likely remain the Oscars of the TV commercial, and the right to use the internet seems to have been paid for by banner ads.

The difference today is that people have more choice in how and when they consume information. Technology has enabled us to avoid mass marketing. Marketers have realized the changing paradigm and they are scrambling to reach the eyeballs. It is a fascinating dynamic to watch play out.

One of the more interesting ploys is Smirnoff's Raw Tea campaign. In case you did not know, Raw Tea is a fruit-flavored malt beverage put out by the wine and spirits giant Diageo. The spoof rap video that came out on YouTube last summer could have been a Saturday Night Live skit, but it was a clever marketing campaign by Smirnoff's creative agency (JWT New York) that turned into a viral marketing hit. 

East Coast Tea Partay

The video was so popular that Smirnoff has commissioned a follow up. This is not the normal spawn of a popular commercial like the unforgettable bud-wei-ser frogs or the lovable Geiko gecko. This is a full-on pop culture East Coast, West Coast rap war. 2 Pac and Biggie may be gone, but the West Coast Boyz N The Hillz are dissing the East Coast rappers with their green tea lifestyle. You can follow all of the madness at Smirnoff's Tea Partay central. Not sure if they are selling any more booze, but it sure is entertaining...

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[P.J.]

Don't forget that the wonderful folks at Fuqua (Duke MBA program) made a wonderful video where they spoofed on the Smirnoff video and made fun of the Vanderbilt Business School. All in good fun, but worth noting since this blog is written by two current Vanderbilt MBA students. It's pretty easy to find on youtube.