Where’s the Line Between Good and Bad Marketing?
Part of marketing your skills properly involves creativity and leaving a memorable impression on your future clients. Yet can it lead to case of too much of a good thing being bad?
The video-driven “Dexter treatment” is unique, because it allows you to send a customized video to a contact. A realistic—yet fictional—news report that would make its recipient think that they’re the next target of a serial killer. It’s a creative use of Flash, and the very fact that I’m writing about it means that I found it memorable. But, did it go too far?
As you can imagine, such a personalized video would scare anyone. That’s what happened for some people, who complained that it was done in bad taste. Aside from the video, recipients were also sent a text message from the fictional killer. Some people saw this as unnecessary mobile spam. While it’s possible that the viral video raised awareness about Dexter, you can’t help but think many people only remember its shocking and somewhat invasive nature.
Maybe this is more proof that when marketing anything, including a project proposal or your actual skills as a freelancer, it helps to focus on who you think are looking for what you have to offer. The Dexter treatment may have limited success because it tried to go for a broad appeal, even if its dark character would’ve only appealed to certain people. Perhaps that’s the line between marketing that works, and marketing that doesn’t get you anywhere. No matter how unique your approach is.
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POSTED IN: Marketing Your Skills
1 opinion for Where’s the Line Between Good and Bad Marketing?
lypePync
Feb 24, 2008 at 7:51 am
Without a toda he picked up his boxers, misunderstand them on and grabed the prize . It was like Antwan himself were there.
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