Viral Marketing for Liquors

[slkinsey]

Smirnoff "Tea Partay" video

http://www.teapartay.com (Smirnoff Tea Partay web site)

Jason brought this Smirnoff video to our attention. It's an interesting example of an attempt to promote a liquor through viral marketing. Viral marketing is a relatively new advertising technique whereby marketers seek to spread awareness and increase interest in a product via word-of-mouth by associating the product with an interesting piece of content that people will talk about and share with one another. The most noteworthy example of viral marketing today is probably the "Snakes on a Plane" movie. Liquor may prove to be a particularly good match for viral marketing because new premium liquors -- and this is especially true of vodkas -- are often valued because of perceived prestige, which is largely created by word-of-mouth. In a way, having a celebrity bartender create a special cocktail featuring a certain liquor could be seen as an example of viral marketing. If the cocktail takes off, or if the liquor is able to associate itself with a currently popular cocktail phenomenon (as Bacardi is trying to do with the Mojito), it increases the presence and perceived value of the brand.

Ed Hamilton asked the important question:

The question Diageo is asking is does this video make you want to drink Smirnoff?

So... what do we think of this. The Tea Partay video is amusing, on that we largely agree. Many of us may share the links with a friend or two. But, do we think it's a successful marketing strategy? Does this video make us more likely to try the new Smirnoff product? Does it succeed with any of us in associating itself with the image of the whitebread old-moneyed Martha's Vinyard set?

[Jason Perlow]

I'm probably going to go out and buy a sixpack of Raw Tea just to see what the big deal is.

[JAZ]

I think the only way this would succeed is on a very indirect level -- that is, someone might see the product on the shelf and recognize it because of having seen the video clip. They might not try it, but then again, they might.

The problem I see with satirical "ads" like this is that the people who appreciate them the most are probably not the sort who would buy a tea/fruit/malt beverage drink at all.

[docsconz]

Oh, it was Smirnoff that did that?

[Jason Perlow]

Oh, it was Smirnoff that did that?

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I actually had to watch the thing twice and then visit teapartay.com to figure that out, you're not the only one to have that reaction.

I thought that "Raw Tea" was some sort of WASPish code word or something. I didn't realize it was a product either.

[Friend of the Farmer]

creative and fun, no doubt, though not sure I'd call it viral. surely produced to take advantage of the low cost/free distribution on youtube.com.

I'll pass and wait for the Bollywood version of a tea party!!