Not Like Mike: The Jordan-Utah Flash Fiasco Alex Gerage, December 11, 2009 In what may be the first major viral marketing event in the history of sports (at least to my knowledge), the NBA Developmental League’s Utah Flash is reaping the success (and failure) of an elaborate campaign. Ryan Corazza has the scoop at ESPN. Apparently, Flash flans were under the assumption they were going to see Michael Jordan and Bryan Russell play a one-on-one basketball game at halftime of Monday’s game to benefit charity. It would be a rematch of the final seconds of the 1998 NBA Finals. The problem was that Jordan never said he would do it. The other problem was that he never said he wouldn’t do it. So this past Monday, after the local paper reported seeing Jordan around town, the buzz began. A video of him surfaced on YouTube eating at a local establishment. A record crowd showed up to the Flash’s home opener to see the halftime festivities. There, they learn the truth. The man being reported as Jordan was not like Mike. The event had been staged. The faux MJ. The YouTube video. The planned pickup game (to be fair, an invitation was extended to Jordan, but he never replied). It was all the plan of Flash owner Brandt Andersen to sell tickets and drum up interest in his team. Did it work? Yes, but not without angering the already pocket sized fan base. He’s since apologized on his blog and offered refunds. For those that measure the success of a viral by the amount of publicity that is generated, good or bad, then the Flash’s undertaking is a massive success. The story made the front page of ESPN.com earlier in the week, and the YouTube video of the phony Michael Jordan now has over 300,000 views. Word has undoubtedly spread, and if you ask one to name just one NBA D-League team, I would bet they would say the Flash. For those that believe a viral is only as successful as its end result, then the embarrassment and disdain many feel towards owner Brandt Andersen is fitting. Here’s a video of the crowd finding it out it’s a hoax. I want to know what you think though. Would you consider this viral successful? Or do campaigns need to have a worthy payoff? Let us know below. Viral Marketing
Encounter “Godzilla” When It Makes Landfall in San Diego! (Update) July 14, 2013July 14, 2013We’ve been keeping tabs on a viral site for Legendary Pictures’ upcoming reboot of Godzilla. In our previous reports, we’ve included photos of a mysterious warehouse in Downtown San Diego where a massive off-site event is to take place. Find out what it is after the jump! Read More
Strange Interactive Site For Park Chan-wook’s ‘Stoker’ Lets You Read Letters To India November 29, 2012November 30, 2012We’ve posted a trailer for Park Chan-wook English language debut Stoker earlier this year. There were subtle hints of Alfred Hitchcock and Brian Del Palma woven into the fabric of this psychological thriller. Now a new interactive site welcomes you into the world of the movie. Hit the jump to… Read More
ARGs & Campaigns Louisiana Forest Monster is Supposedly Viral For “Super 8” December 12, 2010December 13, 2010Quite often on the Internet, random videos spread like wildfire. It can be hard to predict, but once people latch on, it’s not hard to find. A great example of this is a Louisiana news report that made the circuits on Friday. NBC 33 in Baton Rouge had a picture… Read More