How to Spot Viral Marketting - Example

[MiddleClassCentrist]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2011/12/07/arts-baldwin-flight.html

A flight attendant was the subject of a Twitter tirade from Alec Baldwin after the actor was booted from an American Airlines plane at Los Angeles International Airport for playing a word game on his cellphone as the plane was about to depart for New York.

The 30 Rock actor was playing a game called Words with Friends while the plane idled at a gate Tuesday, said Baldwin's spokesman, Matthew Hiltzik.

"He loves Words with Friends so much that he was willing to leave a plane for it," said Hiltzik, who added that Baldwin boarded another American Airlines flight to New York.

The website AM New York published what it said was a visual statement from Zynga — the company that owns Words with Friends — saying Let Alec Play. The score at the bottom left is A Baldwin 1 and American Air 0. The website AM New York published what it said was a visual statement from Zynga — the company that owns Words with Friends — saying Let Alec Play. The score at the bottom left is A Baldwin 1 and American Air 0. Baldwin, a prolific Twitter user, took to the social media site to vent, saying a "flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing Words with Friends while we sat at the gate, not moving."

Baldwin tweeted that it would be his last flight with American, despite the fact that they show 30 Rock for in-flight entertainment.

He mocked American Airlines flight attendants on Twitter, saying the airline is "where Catholic school gym teachers from the 1950s find jobs as flight attendants."

It wasn't clear if passengers had been asked to turn off their cellphones, which is typical before a flight backs away from the terminal.

American Airlines spokesman Ed Martelle declined comment, citing customer privacy concerns.

Airport police Sgt. Belinda Nettles said officers did not respond to the incident.

Baldwin called Words with Friends an "addicting" game. Players compete online to score the most points by building words with tiles on a Scrabble-like game board.

Baldwin plays the role of executive Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock and played an amorous ex-husband to Meryl Streep in the 2009 romantic comedy It's Complicated.

A non story with the name of the game listed 4 times, aswell as a description.

This story is almost more about the damned game, not that Alec got removed from the flight for gaming.

I find CBC especially bad for this crap. They do it for Apple all the time.

[cybercoma]

The airline was mentioned 8 times.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

The airline was mentioned 8 times.

I didn't even catch that. I am more irritable toward software and tech viral campaigns and advernews so it stood out.

Edited December 7, 2011 by MiddleClassCentrist

[Moonlight Graham]

The airline was mentioned 8 times.

Alec Baldwin was mentioned about 11 times. It's almost like they are trying to market Alec Balwdin.

[cybercoma]

hehe

MCC does have a point though. Even though the airline and Baldwin were mentioned, it's as though the focus of the article was the stupid Zynga game. It seems rather sneaky.

[August1991]

Viral marketing? TMI.

[Shwa]

Had they said 'Angry Birds' I would have paid attention and actually sympathized with Baldwin.

[MiddleClassCentrist]

hehe

MCC does have a point though. Even though the airline and Baldwin were mentioned, it's as though the focus of the article was the stupid Zynga game. It seems rather sneaky.

Advernews. It annoys the crap out of me.

The viral news subset is usually subtle that someone wouldn't notice it unless they are thinking about it. I wouldn't be surprised if this was somehow set up by Zynga.

I've seen CBC do a lot of advernews in their technology section. Overtime you learn the favourites and I wonder if/how much CBC is being compensated for the advertisements masquerading as news.

Edited December 8, 2011 by MiddleClassCentrist

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Had they said 'Angry Birds' I would have paid attention and actually sympathized with Baldwin.

Because that was an original game.

Not another Scrabble knock-off

[Moonlight Graham]

Advernews. It annoys the crap out of me.

The viral news subset is usually subtle that someone wouldn't notice it unless they are thinking about it. I wouldn't be surprised if this was somehow set up by Zynga.

I've seen CBC do a lot of advernews in their technology section. Overtime you learn the favourites and I wonder if/how much CBC is being compensated for the advertisements masquerading as news.

I was just jesting, but yes these things exist. As do people from businesses who get paid to go onto popular message boards or customer review sites and sing fake praises of products etc.

The story was picked up from the AP though, so who knows.

Edited December 8, 2011 by Moonlight Graham

[Bryan]

I was just jesting, but yes these things exist. As do people from businesses who get paid to go onto popular message boards or customer review sites and sing fake praises of products etc.

Political sites too. I don't mean this one (not that I know of). I visit a website about Cuba regularly, and there are a handful of people on that site that are flat out lying in every post they write. All it is is American anti-Castro propaganda. The problem is, they don't even bother to get the places and dates close enough to be believable. When ever I point out that I was actually at the place they claim a fictitious incident occurred (we go every year for vacation), or that I have personally witnessed the things they claim never happen, they accuse me of being paid by Fidel! I think some of the people here would get a hoot out of hearing me being accused of being a socialist!

Edited December 9, 2011 by Bryan

[cybercoma]

Political sites too. I don't mean this one (not that I know of). I visit a website about Cuba regularly, and there are a handful of people on that site that are flat out lying in every post they write. All it is is American anti-Castro propaganda. The problem is, they don't even bother to get the places and dates close enough to be believable. When ever I point out that I was actually at the place they claim a fictitious incident occurred (we go every year for vacation), or that I have personally witnessed the things they claim never happen, they accuse me of being paid by Fidel! I think some of the people here would get a hoot out of hearing me being accused of being a socialist!

Shut up, Commie!

[MiddleClassCentrist]

Political sites too. I don't mean this one (not that I know of). I visit a website about Cuba regularly, and there are a handful of people on that site that are flat out lying in every post they write. All it is is American anti-Castro propaganda. The problem is, they don't even bother to get the places and dates close enough to be believable. When ever I point out that I was actually at the place they claim a fictitious incident occurred (we go every year for vacation), or that I have personally witnessed the things they claim never happen, they accuse me of being paid by Fidel! I think some of the people here would get a hoot out of hearing me being accused of being a socialist!

Sometimes it seems like we have certain people like that on these boards... I mean there are people who are ideologically conservative or progressive on these boards who are perfectly reasonable to argue with in discussion....

And then there are the party/ideologue parrots who contribute nothing to discussion, just continue berating everyone with the same old irrational, plugging fingers in ears "lalalalalal" I'm not listening to you but you are wrong anyways. Paying someone $10/hour(If in Canada) to spam internet boards is cheap. I just wish they were easier to expose.

Edited December 10, 2011 by MiddleClassCentrist