6
”
y Gordon
TCOTS
Viral Marketing advice
from Cind
vice president of new media
and marketing partnerships,
Universal Orlando Resort
EERMANM
“
Nimble companies are using the Web in ways that
they could never do before. New media has created
a new marketing environment where the old rules
of marketing no longer apply. When you have a
passionate fan base for your brand, the Internet is
especially vital for going viral. Communicating to a
small but powerful group of fans first online to enlist
their support is a smart way to ensure positive
coverage in the mainstream press. The power of the
Internet makes it easier for people to fall in love
with you faster. But beware—it also makes it easi-
er for them to fall out of love with you faster. It’s a
double-edged sword. Listen constantly to what’s
being said about you. Social media technologies do
not make a brand viral; they merely allow consumers
to tell others about good brands. The main thing is
to be different and relevant with your brand. And
when you have that, the sheer power of the Internet
can accelerate your brand. Traditional media takes
weeks to build brand awareness and months to
build preference. The Internet can make your brand
famous literally overnight.
VIDA
’s
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otter
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orld of
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”) were invited
reative, and
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izarding W
izarding W
, were hand-selected by Gordon
ay 31, 2007.
” set at Leavesden Studios, Cfice
ugglenet
’s Of
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-mouse to spread her story
arner Bros. Pictures, have grossed $3.5 billion
rather than an insider fan site.
= 350,000,000
’s team as “the AP of the HP world
otter fans might feel if they learned about Universal
imes
7
rowbridge, vice president of Universal C
arner Bros. chose to launch The W
ork T
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ebcast held at midnight on M
irst, there could have been a backlash,” Gordon says. She imagined
:: How word-of-mouse spreads your ideas for free
ice.
otter fan sites, such as
When
ilms, produced by W
, The New Y
arry P
irst telling the exciting news to a very small group of rabid fans. Seven
raig, the academy award-winning production designer for all the H
ebcast, live from the “Dumbledore
arner Bros. and Rowling herself providing input about the choices. These
’t gone to fans f
otter by f
otter theme park.
’s plans in, say
, Gordon knew she could rely on word-of
ive languages and has sold more than 325 million copies in more than 200 territories
ebcast was hosted by Scott T
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The New Rules of Viral Marketing
Recognizing that millions of fans around the world are passionate about all things H
P
is a global phenomenon. The series of books by author J.K. Rowling has been translated into
sixty-f
around the world. The f
worldwide at the box off
Gordon and her counterpart at W
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people at the top H
team, with W
seven (affectionately referred to by Gordon
to participate in a top-secret W
The W
featured Stuart C
films. In the W
discussed how his team of twenty designers is bringing together The W
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“If we hadn
the disappointment dedicated H
Orlando
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