Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×

12-Volt Campaign Hits Target

Los Angeles – Results
from the car stereo viral video promotion launched Nov. 20 are positive, with
views of the

“Car
Dance Mob” video

on track to meet the planned goal of 59,000 views, said
Steve Witt, chairman of the

12-Volt
Initiative’s

governing board, who confirmed the industry is starting work
on a second video.

As of Nov. 29 the “Car
Dance Mob” video received 11,000 views. The video is produced and publicized by

The 7th Chamber

whose
clients include Nike, MTV, Xbox and BMW. “They are the pre-eminent full service
viral marketing, seeding and social-media agency.  They focus on generating authentic buzz
through on line placement,” said Witt.

“The 7th Chamber has said
this is tracking to their guarantee to us, which is 59,000 views. What’s really
interesting, is that we had 28 percent of the viewers click through to the
store locator [on an adjunct

industry
website

], which is amazing.  The 7th
Chamber feels that’s very high.  The [12-Volt
Initiative] board is very pleased with that result … We have over 300 actual
click-throughs to an actual store.  That’s
very high,” Witt added.

The board of the 12-Volt
Initiative, a consortium of industry members, met on Nov. 30 and approved work
on a second viral video to be released in the January/February time frame. 

To date, the 12-Volt
Initiative has spent approximately $100,000 for the video, Web site and promotion.

While the video, enacting
a quasi-impromptu scene of dancing to music in cars, was panned by a few industry
members on industry Web sites and YouTube, Witt dismissed the critics as people
who were expecting a typical advertisement. “They frankly didn’t understand the
strategy. They don’t understand the new media; they don’t understand social-connection
marketing.”

One retailer told TWICE
he was withdrawing his campaign support, while Witt said new retailers have since
joined the campaign.

In January, the board
will review the results of the video after it has “aired” for 30 days. But
simply getting “click-throughs” to the stores is not enough.  “If we don’t trigger action, which is real
purchase consideration that pushes people to shop, then this effort is not
ultimately successful,” Witt claimed.

Retailers may join the
campaign by paying $99. 

“This is the next wave in
marketing that leverages an emotional connection because customers don’t buy
products any more, they buy experiences. 
If anyone questions that, they should just stop and think about the iPod
and the iPhone,” Witt concluded.

Featured

Close