Wow, I really can’t believe how much discussion there has been around Telecom’s “fake” McCallum and Partners ad that has been screening on TV recently. It definitely seems to be dividing people into two camps - those who “knew the ads were fake all along and don’t see what the fuss is about” and those who Googled McCallum and Partners to see if they could get a job at what looks to be an awesome company!
I have to admit on first viewing I feel into the second camp. Clearly I’m a little gullible because I’ve fallen for a couple of fake reality ads lately. A few discussions around the office today ended with me discovering that the woman in the Rightcar.govt.nz ad is an Australian actress, not a brain damaged car crash victim who wants to spread a safety message to others.
So is this they way advertising is going? Will more and more Reality TV style ads grace our screens – yet in reality only be paid actors being shot in a reality style?
I would think that there has never been a better or easier time for a brand or organisation to actually get real people to openly promote products, services or causes they feel passionate about. Why? Because, more than ever, people are actually true fans of things – and we have technology that allows us to do some really cool things. Put them together and you get the opportunity to create real reality TV about your company from people who love it.
Imagine the two examples above, but instead of actors they used real people. For one, a woman who has survived a car crash and is mentally disabled as a result – but is keen to speak on national television to highlight the safety aspect of side airbags – to make sure people are aware of the tragic results of not having them.
For the other, a national telecommunications company goes along to one of their loyal business customers and offers them a few Friday night beers, nibbles, perhaps some free broadband and a mobile phone and says “come up with a skit that shows off video phone technology”. You’d be surprised who wouldn’t say no to doing something like that as it would really raise the profile of their company as well.
It may be a little scary to invest time and money in a campaign made by your customers. You certainly won’t have the control you’re used to – but hell, if it works you’ll soon earn a lot more respect from the rest of your customers and probably gain a whole heap of new ones.
Think of it as worth of mouth marketing – through advertising.
