UKNM: VIRUS WARNING: as a marketing method...

[Sam Michel]

Blimey, what a reaction to Dom's post about viruses a few days ago. I think

that's the most reaction any post on the list has had! The messages about

the original post are still flooding in, but in the interests of preserving

sanity, I won't forward them on unless they're bringing up a new point.


As a marketing method, they lack, well, let's just say credibility, however

in terms of longevity and penetration the results are amazing. I don't know

if anyone watches the BBC's 'Here & Now' show - a sort of semi-serious

current affairs made easy program. A while back they featured a former

patient (I forget his name), with a very serious illness, made a plea for

people to send him 'Get Well' cards so he could make it into the Guinness

Book of Records. Some kind souls posted this plea onto the Internet.


He long ago entered the record books, and is still receiving sackloads of

mail. The Post Office in the UK joined him in a plea to the public to stop

sending him cards.


A chilling thought struck me, so far these viruses have been fairly

harmless (aside from gobbling up bandwidth), however if someone spread

something unsavoury about a company or individual using these techniques,

it could be a major problem. We often talk about how great the 'net is for

spreading the message, but I suspect most companies actively using the 'net

for publicity don't have a contingency for dealing with adverse publicity.


There was a feature in Revolution sometime ago about PR companies waking up

to the Internet, and how to deal with this (I can't remember the issue,

Stovin can you help?) - it gave me some hope, although I wasn't convinced

they _got_ how these situations can arise.



Toodle Pip


Sam

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