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January 15, 2004
Viral Dean
The Howard Dean campaign continues to show us marketers a thing or two.
Its latest tactic: a viral email postcard. Its birth and rapid viral nature are brilliant. Here's how it unfolded:
* Jan 7: "Club for Growth," a conservatave political advocacy organization, launches its first anti-Dean TV ad. It portrays an elderly couple approached by a "reporter" who asks them for their opinion of Howard Dean. The husband replies:
Well, I think Howard Dean should take his tax hiking, government-expanding, latte-drinking, sushi-eating, Volvo-driving, New York Times-reading . . .
The wife chimes in:
. . .body piercing, Hollywood-loving, left-wing freak show back to Vermont, where it belongs.
* Jan 8: Instead of releasing a statement denouncing the ad, Dean's campaign team posts its text to the campaign blog, asking supporters for creative responses to the ad, such as a flyer, a song, or their own ads. In three days, more than 600 people respond, many with funny and serious ideas on how to combat the "Club for Growth."
* Jan 12: The Dean campaign receives a "Photoshopped" postcard via email; it riffs on the attack ad and is posted to the Dean website. The postcard features a photo of its creators, a short description of themselves and a message of support. Here's a sample:
* Jan 13: Others capture the idea and postcards multiply. A Dean supporter creates a gallery of postcards.
* Jan 14: Dean campaign computer programmers create a website for anyone to make their own postcard. The campaign emails its list of over 575,000 people, inviting them to make their own postcards and email them to friends and family.
Talk about a fluid marketing strategy! A marketing campaign created and lauched to thousands of people, who then send the message on to thousands of other people, in six days.
In the customer evangelism model, this rapid-response strategy captures the passion of fervent supports quickly and efficiently and enlists their volunteer support. Its lessons:
* Ask your customers for help with marketing ideas
* React quickly to controversial or hot news in your market
* Don't be afraid to have some fun
Other blogs that reference Viral Dean:
» Marketing Tips From The Politicians from Rob Robinson's Idea Engagement Area
The Church of the Customer blog watches Howard Dean for evangelism ideas . [Read More]
