Author Archives: Andy La Fond
Wikipedia, Google, and other sites slowed, if not killed, the SOPA and PIPA legislation with their blackout protest on Wednesday, January 18. The big sites behind the blackout clearly exploited their massive reach and place in people’s daily lives, enabling the protest to grow with amazing speed. Equally important, the sites adeptly employed key strategies for sparking a movement.
Other organizations can mobilize people for their cause by understanding the key strategies of movements and examining how the blackout followed those strategies.
1. Share a Purpose
Having a purpose inspires passion and participation. At the heart of the protest was a belief that the Internet and information should be free. But a purpose doesn’t have to be altruistic. Many Wikipedia or Google users probably acted out of concern they’d lose access to these incredibly convenient resources.
2. Pique Curiosity
Curiosity leads people down the rabbit hole. Many people had probably heard little or nothing about SOPA or PIPA. A new and imminent threat certainly provokes curiosity – and alarm.
3. Direct the Action
Give people a specific and easy way to participate. Read More
Motorola, VW, and Chrysler scored with critics and viewers in the Super Bowl advertising game. Yet, in the weeks following the game, they’ve missed (and are still missing) opportunities to convert viewers into customers through their online channels. These three brands all replay their ads on their sites, but that is not enough. Advertisers in the Super Bowl — and other big events like the Oscars — must create online experiences that get viewers more deeply involved with their products and the brand. That’s what pays off the huge advertising investments.
VW’s endearing “Darth Vader” spot speaks to affluent parents who are the primary market for the Passat. When those viewers visit VW.com, however, the most easily found content for the new Passat a snarky but flat-footed video, “VW Academy with Bill Hader.” The video’s sarcasm seems off-key compared to “Darth Vader” and more akin to a Bud Light commercial. Plus, the video is slow to communicate a handful of the model’s key features. It risks diffusing the goodwill earned by “Darth Vader.”
Worse, there is little information on the new Passat anywhere on VW.com. If you click on Passat, under the Models menu on the home page, you get information on the current model. The lack of details on the new Passat is a huge missed opportunity for VW to keep potential customers engaged and feed their curiosity about the new model.
Motorola does a better job following up on its “Empower the People” spot for the Xoom tablet. After viewers find their way to the Motorola Mobility consumer site, the Xoom is featured on the home page. The Xoom product page leads with a replay of the TV ad, but it’s easy to skip the ad and get to an overview of the Xoom.
After the daring TV ad however, the product page is a let down. The Xoom ad, like it’s 1984 inspiration, promises change, but visitors get a typical, staid list of specs and features. The Xoom page could have related tech specs and features to human needs and situations. Read More
