How the blogosphere views Naked’s fake video episode – and YouTube viewers start posting their responses

I’m not 100 per cent sure about your quote of me above. Obviously it’s accurate, but I’m not certain it’s been taken quite the right way. Naked’s campaign for Witchery was a good idea in concept – storytelling is always a great way to connect with an audience, a love story more so. The use of YouTube video equally a good idea. The lies, obviously not.

If this had been conceived as a series of little webisodes where the girl and the guy eventually find each other and end up happily together clad in beautiful Witchery clothing, it would have worked a treat. Echoes of the old Nescafe Gold campaign that was a success here, the US and the UK, no?

I don’t know Stephen.

I think (within this context) the moment when people (let’s say, non-marketers and focus on the target audience) realise they’ve been ‘had’ is the moment they’re likely to think “ahhhh….brilliant!”. Or at least “Cute!”. At the worst, you might get a “Yeah, whatever”.

That was the response from my very non representative, very non-scientific sample of non-marketing friends who’d seen it (sample of 3).

If, as you say, the campaign had been conceived as a series of little webisodes (like traditional type advertising, but run on the internet?), I’m guessing they’d have needed another league of budget entirely. And I wonder who, in their right mind, would have watched it? That, as you say, has been done, done, done, done before.

@Katei, not that I want us taking over Tim’s blog as a medium for our conversation, but in my mind I see this working with the video exactly as it is. No change at all but with a subtle reveal right at the end that makes sure we know it’s a campaign.

How you’d do that, I’m yet to figure out. But the story could still suck us in.

Take the LG Scarlet ads. I was completely sucked in by the “Alias” style of the TV and cinema ads and the bus stop posters. I totally wanted that to be a real TV series. I even though it could be until I went looking. I was actually sucked in to the whole world of the thing.

The Witchery ads could have worked the same way. Great concept, clever execution, but no reveal. You’ll note that really, it’s the lack of the reveal that’s disappointed people. Just one more little step.

Stephen

I guess part of my point is when you say it’s disappointed people; who exactly?

Obviously quite a few people with marketing/social media backgrounds. But until I see the Galaxy Poll read on the target market’s response, and assess that response *within the context of Witchery’s strategic objectives* (of which this campaign may only be a wafer thin slice), then I just can’t see how anyone can make a call on its success or otherwise.

*italics

Unlesss something dramatic happens, I’m probably not going to put up any more posts on this subject today, as we’re in danger of going into overkill.

But if today’s Daily Telegraph is to be believed, that evolution was the next part of the plan. According to the Tele, Naked were already casting for the man-in-the-jacket

@Stephen- maybe they could not do “one more little reveal” because everyone was screaming at them to come clean, apologise, and eat humble pie. Like Katie – sample of four, but people I work with are sort of disappointed that they didn’t get to see how it unfolded – not that they were “duped” because they all got that it was a story (real or fictional). But funny they DO know the cost of the jacket and Witchery is launching a menswear line…
(BTW – I don’t work for an affiliate of Naked – we are sworn enemies)

Hey Tim,

Great debate.

FYI – The link is broken on Matty’s quote. 🙂

Thanks,

Kate

Ta, Kate. Fixed…

@kelpenhagen I think this story nears dead horse status…

My thought of the reveal would have been in the original video.

The followup video Naked released should have been a mea culpa rather than disingenuous.

They’ve got heaps of publicity for this, and must consider it a success on those grounds. Whether it ends up being a success on sales grounds and brand awareness is yet to be seen.

As someone who gives advice on social media strategy, the whole thing bugged me for not being honest and open. Tim Longhurst’s original blog response called out The Cluetrain Manifesto and Age of Conversation, both of which Adam says he’s read. This campaign didn’t feel like Naked took to heart much that was said in them.

Of course, all of this is my opinion, so it lies somewhere on a spectrum with many possibilities. The opinions of me and others for whom this campaign grated are not necessarily absolutely right, just one possible right. There are others with equally well-considered views that disagree.

@stepehn – if it is a dead horse, why keep flogging it?

Is it because Naked hasn’t broken down and cried “mea culpa”? Or that Adam Ferrier has gone and posted at most blogs his side of the story (pretty reasonably actually – not as you said “belligerently”).
Sure, Tim Longhurst did bring up aforementioned publications, but he also called The Naked folk “pony tail people” – quite dismissive of an agency that actually does pretty fine work (they wouldn’t be as successful as they are if they didn’t – clients come back – they are happy, the see RESULTS)

The key issue here is that there is a lot of foot stamping from particular people that they are right, they know better, that they know social media better than the “pony tail” people – and ultimately they should be given all the good big juicey accounts like this one. That’s the point. You want the work. You said it in your own post. So if anyone slips up in the slightest way, you call them on it…LOUDLY. It IS kind of getting tired and boring.

I think the horse has well and truly kicked it now. May it rest in peace.

Kelly Tall

@Kelly, last word, I hope. I’m no advertising expert, and never will be. But I (and several others, all of whom are very good) can give ad/PR/marcomms companies (and anyone else who asks) some decent advice on best ways to use social media.

I neither want nor ask for the whole gig. I’m in no position to take it. But Naked and others could look to people like me on an occasional basis to help them out with some perspective from a different area of expertise. I certainly pick up the phone or email others from time to time for educated advice on stuff I’m not full bottle on.

Most of the commentary so far has focused on Naked. I bet they’re absolutely loving all the controversy and publicity. Their equivalent of Google’s “don’t be evil” might as well be “don’t be boring”. They are the “shock jocks” of the strategic communications world. But enough about them.

I can’t claim to have read every posting on the issue but the voice seemingly absent from all this so far is that of the client. Presumably someone with in Witchery with “marketing” in their job title had to sign-off on this piece of communication?

We can’t really judge whether to pick or a pan until we know exactly what they were trying to achieve and on which target audience(s).

Perhaps Witchery are trying to reposition their brand away from “smart and simple” towards “sneaky”.

Maybe they’re refocusing on a new target audience and now trying to appeal to Bunny Boilers and aspiration victims.

Time for a public service announcement, methinks:

Attention all married men and guys in serious (hetro) relationships: wearing Witchery jackets can seriously damage your relationship (not to mention your family pet rabbit).

Marketing 101 … authenticity is a vital component of brand management. Marketing professor Mark Ritson from the Melbourne Business School put it like this in an interview from last year: “Consumer insight companies say consumers have started seeking ‘authenticity’. That’s rubbish. They always wanted it. Most consumers are a lot smarter and more genuine than the marketers who target them. They want brands burned with the mark of their founders, not artificially engineered by agencies”

Amen.