Joost is not a new energy drink, apparently.

Joost.com is "a new way of watching TV on the internet". Currently in (much coveted) beta testing, Joost will provide users with high-quality full-screen picture, hundreds of full-length television shows and YouTube-esque viral videos. Joost will also incorporate instant messaging and social networking features. It is completely free, and works with most modern PCs and Intel Mac-based computers with a broadband connection.
The down side? I don't have it yet.

Ad Message in a Bottle

Calvin Klein Inc. and Coty, its fragrance licensee, are about to introduce CK in2u, a sequel to CK One- but for a new generation. This is for the generation that CK has deemed (and trademarked!) "Technosexuals". The press kit for CK in2u explains, “She likes how he blogs, her texts turn him on. It’s intense. For right now.” Which may serve only to turn off its intended audience.
As may the very look of the bottle. Made from white plastic and glass, it attempts to channel the look of an iPod. While the name is in written the shorthand of an instant message, implying there was no time to spell out “in to you.”
The CK in2u online effort also includes the first ever fragrance launch into the internet world Second Life. Situated on the Second Life island Avalon (the first island in the game to command a real-world land value), CK is also launching the 'what are you in 2?' photography competition. It offers the inhabitants of Second Life the chance to post a 'snapshot' of any image that inspires them in the virtual world. The winner will become a Second Life millionaire, paid in Linden Dollars.
While Ck is embracing Web 2.0, their techniques seem to be mocking the very demographic they are targeting. CK should also consider that these very consumers are known for hating anything that "smells" of marketing.

Net Nostalgia

Remember GeoCities? In 1997 it was one of the first and most popular places to create your own free homepage. GeoCities was also the fifth most popular website in existence, with only over 500,000 homepages created. Where is it now? Yahoo bought Geocities two years later and commercialized the homepages with advertising- resulting in a death sentence. With web hosting becoming affordable, the need for "free" homepages littered with ads vanished. Geocities accounts are now only used for outdated information, and to upload/download illegal mp3 files from...

Did you "Altavista" people? Not as catchy as "googling", Altavista was the first real effort to index the World Wide Web. It was popular because it was one of the few search engines that actually came up with good search results. That is until the companies and spammers got wise and Altavista's search results were compromised. Eventually some company named Google found a way to prioritize web pages more intelligently, thus keeping spam out more efficiently. Where is it now? Altavista never tried to recover, having their market share drop to almost nothing. Yahoo! is now the proud owner of this piece of history as well.

Sadly, these are two cases where aggressive advertising systematically killed entire companies; one from within and one from without.

VideoJug: How To Make A Juicy New Vlog Site

Ever wonder how to pull a table cloth from under a dinner service? Or what about how to catch a mouse? Me neither. But, after browsing VideoJug's website, I sure want to know. VideoJug is a new instructional video website that can teach you everything from the mundane to the sexually suggestive. Each video is from an interesting or even comedic perspective, but manages to be thorough at the same time. VideoJug encourages users to upload their own videos, but fair warning- VideoJug obviously likes high production values. Which only increases it's appeal in my opinion. Don't worry though, VideoJug will even provide you with a how-to video on how to make your how-to video.

Reverse Viral Marketing

Usually marketing imitates art in hopes of success. In this case, Joey and David are imitating marketing campaigns to create their own viral videos. Their video Axe was featured on the front page of MySpace today. At first glance (and 2/3 into the video), it appears Axe is literally a commercial for the product- until things take a turn for the worst. Commercial parodies are nothing that hasn't been done before. However, Joey and David's focus on them is a very keen technique to draw attention to their comedy.

14 Days in a Honda Civic
Douche Ups
Minor eHarmony

McFlash Games

Flash games have recently been overtaken by corporations for use on micro sites and other marketing strategies. We often forget they were once made by and for the people for entertainment. Addicting Games features many such corporate games, but also a slew of user generated. One such game, McDonald's VideoGame, attacks McDonalds Corp by letting the player control the farms, slaughter houses, restaurants and headquarters. What's interesting here is that the game moves so fast and is so addictive that you forget you’re slaughtering animals and causing global health issues. Thankfully it's just a game, right?

If I had a Hammer...

Mini Cooper USA has launched a full-on internet campaign using viral and conventional online techniques. Having bought the advertiser's front-page spot on YouTube, the Hammmer & Coop: Music Video is the most-viewed video on YouTube today. Also, viewers get a triple threat with banner ads on the YouTube video pages. The good news - it's actually entertaining. One wonders if Mini could have relaxed their advertising budget a bit and let the viral move a little organically. Or, they could contact the ZeitGhosts.

Every TubeHead's Favorite Subject: Themself.

Mini Challenge: 10 Random Facts about YOU featured on YouTube today received not only the typical 6 digits in views, but over 275 video responses and counting. In the video HellaChella states 10 moderately interesting facts about herself and then invites other vloggers to do the same. Three cheers for tapping into the innate vanity of the average TubeHead.

The Stuf Marketing is Made of.

Traditional brand Nabisco has linked itself to viral video with their Double Stuf Oreo Race video contest. The promotion invited MySpacers and YouTubers to create their own Oreo commercials for the competition. The video below is an entry that was featured on the front page of MySpace, collecting over a quarter million views in 24 hours. Kudos, Nabisco!


Oreo Contest Page
Oreo Contest Entry
Nabisco

To hack or not to hack? WarCraft begs the question.

Every gamer's favorite addiction, WarCraft, takes the third highest seat on YouTube today in the form of commercial. Not for the actual game mind you, but for a website that teaches players ways to advance in Warcraft through cheating. Why would a blatant advert for gaming tools become so viewed? For one, Warcraft has a huge following that shares the YouTube demographic. Many of whom search out Warcraft videos regularly. In addition to those actually interested in the cheat, many more people become involved due to the surrounding controversy. This response merely drives the video higher up the YouTube charts. Just goes to show, all publicity is good publicity on YouTube. Except for all those Britney Spears things. They were just embarrassing.
Watch Video
Wiki WarCraft
Wiki Blizzard Ent.
WarCraft Cheats Site

Music Videos = Future Viral Indie Music Marketing Tool?

Music videos have traditionally been used to visually promote bands and their albums, offered at no cost to television networks and other media companies. With database-driven music video services gaining ground and broadband services expanding, music videos are evolving into a valuable, potential revenue source at both the business and consumer level. I want my M-YouTube?

Viral Indie Music Marketing

Hotmail, Classic Viral Marketing

Ten years ago Hotmail went viral and became one of the original viral marketing phenomena. What a wonderful predictive tail this is.


Hotmail goes viral in 1997

Viral Video Charts

Lazy "tubeheads" rejoice as Viral Video Chart.com completes an overhaul of their video tracking machinery. All chart data now updates every 15 minutes. This means users can watch videos zoom up and down the Top 20 chart and catch breaking videos all day long. Previously they were publishing static data that was frozen at midnight and didn't update until the following midnight. No more stale videos for office workers around the world- fresh baked just arrived.

Viral Video Chart