Viral Marketing

[Earl Weiss]

At the Midwest expo there was a seminar where a PR ? marketing company is putting together car washes by city. They buy into the program which seems as it's lynchpin a "Dirtiest Car" campaign where customers come to your location, you take before and after photos, there will be prizes available, media buys and all this to frive traffic to a website where people can punch in zip codes and then be directed to the closest participatiing site. This will be coubled with Twitter and facebook campaigns and e-mails will be captured for marketing.

Frankly, I did not find it too exciting. Perhaps I am stuck in the past or feel my demographics (Not really yuppified) willl use it. Concerned that media cost in LArge metro areas will not permit much exposure. So, I was thinking about Viral Marketing...


contd

 

[Earl Weiss]

So, having no life I was thinkin' about how some videos on the net "Go Viral" such as Mentos and Coke or "Will it Blend"

I don't have the expertise but it seems come creative and technicaly adept types in our industry could do it. Is the ICA listening?? Some ideas to start:

A while ago at an ICA show someone did a bit where a car seat was left on a car with the baby in it. (Substituted for a doll as it went thru) . As it exited the tunnel the baby was beautifuly dressed and coiffed, still in the seat.

Had a customer once accuse me of having the birds on my payroll. I could envison a flock depositing a storm on some cars which in short order are run thru the tunnel or come to the Self Serve IBA or whatever, and come out clean. Next shot shows the wash operator with a flock on the ground paying them for a great job and saying. See you again tommorrow.

 

[mjwalsh]

Earl,

That birds on our payroll is the type of thing that would make most people chuckle. It seems like it would register in their mind which would help them remember your specific carwash

 

[rph9168]

A while back one operator in Denver did a TV ad where a guy dressed like a bum went into the wash on the hood of a car and came out dressed in a tux. He said he got a lot of comments about that ad and felt it increased his volume.

 

[pitzerwm]

Today, you could shoot this yourself, put it on youtube and put up signs with the link, on it and/or run it as a commercial.

 

[mmurra]

I just bought a clown outfit - next guy that shows up late......

 

[Red Baron]

Could work. The Windex commercial where the birds fly into the clean window is funny.