WOMMA's Womnibus #2.20
- Toyota Leverages Hybrid Buyers' Passion
- Disney's Social Networking Bid: Too Restrictive?
- The Cheesecake Factory Spreads WOM Sweetly
- AudienceBuzz Generates WOM for Live Performances
- Briefly:
Widgets as Viral Ads, Connect with Consumers Online
 Tell a friend: http://www.womma.org/tell/
1> Toyota Leverages Hybrid Buyers' Passion
If you ask Toyota, people buy hybrid vehicles for a reason. The company is relying on that reason -- whatever it may be -- to drive traffic to its recently launched, hybrid-dedicated microsite, banking on the fact that its customers are itching to talk about what factors influenced their choice to "go hybrid." At the site, users can create a profile and take part in community discussions with other hybrid owners, providing an ideal place for word of mouth to happen. Toyota predicts that the stories and convictions expressed on the site will provide inspirational fodder and move more consumers to make a Toyota hybrid their vehicle of choice. Other features of the site, such as the gas savings calculator, reinforce the idea that current owners made the right choice when they purchased their hybrid vehicles.
Learn more (Yahoo!)
Learn more (Toyota)
2> Disney's Social Networking Bid:
Too Restrictive?
To meet kids' growing demand for social network functionality, Disney's newly launched website includes an online community where kids can customize profiles and personal pages to share with other users. There are certain restrictions on the site, though, that are raising concerns about the initiative's potential for success. The site doesn't allow users to upload photos or to write original content about themselves and includes parental controls -- which, some argue, inhibits the creative freedom that makes social networks so appealing for youngsters in the first place.
Disney contends that limitations and parental controls are necessary for the safety of its very young demographic. The effort functions as virtual training wheels for kids that are too young to safely navigate the total freedom of other social networking sites -- but with all of the limitations, kids might find it more stifling than fun and take their web traffic elsewhere.
Learn more (Mickey News/Red Hering)
Learn more (Mickey News/L.A. Times)
Learn more (MediaPost)
Learn more (WebPro News)
3> The Cheesecake Factory Spreads
WOM Sweetly
The Cheesecake Factory's reliance on word of mouth has certainly stood the test of time. According to a recent Idaho Business Review article, The Cheesecake Factory has been spreading its own sweet, sweet word of mouth message for 28 years, never having to rely on traditional advertising to fill the seats in its 120 locations. Howard Gordon, Cheesecake Factory VP of business development and marketing, says it's the "personal touch" that strengthens the reach of the Factory's WOM -- right down to the free cheesecake that accompanies The Cheesecake Factory's press releases. That's one way to get stellar media coverage: Sweeten the deal.
Learn more (Idaho Business Review)
Learn more (AdJab)
4> AudienceBuzz Generates WOM for
Live Performances
AudienceBuzz.com is among the latest social networking sites to carve out a niche within the ever-segmenting world of online communities. The site was established as a place where fans can rate live performances -- including music, theater, dance, performance art, lectures, readings, and more -- and claims audience members, artists, and performing arts venues alike can benefit from the conversations the site generates. Audience members have a place to go for consumer-generated reviews before shelling out money for a performance, artists can pick up valuable feedback and connect with both fans and potential fans, and venues have a community-based forum for promoting upcoming shows. Everyone benefits, and all the folks that make it happen have a place to interact, making AudienceBuzz the kind of place where word of mouth can flourish.
Learn more (AudienceBuzz)
Learn more (Concord Monitor)
5> Briefly:
Widgets as Viral Ads, Connect with
Consumers Online
Bebo's Advertiser-Supported Widgets Help "Viralize" Message
Jamie Tedford: Learning the Language of Online Video Ads
Learn more
|
|
Back to newsletter list
