Diablogue talks about a thing Sprint are doing - giving phones to bloggers, with free access to all sorts of broadband content - and asking them to blog honestly about the experience.
My initial thought is obvious - where's my phone? (I guess I'm on the wrong continent, that'll be it) but my secondary thought is - what a good idea. Apart from the obvious self-interest, it's the perfect thing to do with a product you believe in.
This is the start of something big, we're going to see a lot more of this. Public sampling. Public trialling.
reminds me of this:
http://epic.makingithappen.co.uk/
if you haven't viewed it yet, do. it's terribly thought provoking.
Posted by: Crys | February 22, 2006 at 11:12 PM
As someone on Diablogue rightly points out there's some blogs (like Engadget) who've been getting sent stuff to trial and review for a while now.
I think what's really interesting about this is that, if you're smart, you can pick bloggers relevant to your target. So, for a mobile phone manufacturer you may not want to go to the traditional gadget blogs, but instead find fashionistas, introspective goths, whatever suits your campaign really.
Two big challenges facing brands who are considering this kind of thing are firstly how to find the right blogs and secondly how to approach and engage with them.
Anyone want to start a business...?
Posted by: Iain | February 23, 2006 at 10:27 AM
I think I read somewhere that some people from the UK record industry signed a few bands (were they the Artic Monkeys? I'm not sure) after reading some enthusiastic reviews on blogs.
Isn't this like finally understanding what really is the consumer insight?
Isn't this, though, the Y2K version of product sampling like perfumes in fashion magazines?
Doesn't this should bring even more togheter creative and account planners with the media planners?
Posted by: Luca Vergano | February 23, 2006 at 11:09 AM
Joseph Jaffe has been picked by Sprint.
http://www.jaffejuice.com/2006/01/i_am_now_a_spri.html
He also talked about this in his "across the sound podcast".
Giving away stuff to potential influencer is not really that new. After all journalists, actors and sportsidols have been provided with new products probably since the beginning of advertising. Even consumers could apply to become beta testers. Viral marketing is partly based on getting your products to the right people. Blogging just makes it easier to identify the right people. And as a marketeer it prbably feels like you have more control over what´s happening out there. So that´s a good thing happening there.
Posted by: Tim | February 23, 2006 at 12:13 PM
"I'm not sure) after reading some enthusiastic reviews on blogs."
Funny, A&R peeps used to hit the bars to discover a band first, now they hit the blogs.
"Two big challenges facing brands who are considering ...how to approach and engage with them."
I think it’s also iportant for brands to live with the outcome of the feedback, good or bad. If you have bloggers on your side only praising the brand, and that is contrary to the actual consumer experience, the brand will take a hit.
Posted by: makethelogobigger | February 25, 2006 at 12:26 AM
Its working though, they were getting free publicity without even giving you the phone!
Posted by: Rob Mortimer | February 26, 2006 at 01:16 PM