Monday, May 3, 2010

Micro Spokespeople


A few weeks back, I ran a Facebook ad for myself, targeting only people who identified themselves with Tumblr, people that I might know already, inviting them to check out my Tumblr blog. Really, I was just testing to see how effective these ads are. I wanted to know if people completely ignore the ads on Facebook and or if they would respond to a familiar face.

Not only did I get more than a few click-throughs, I was also contacted by a number of people directly simply interested in how or why my face was showing up on their sidebar. A couple of the people who contacted me were online journalists thinking there might be some bigger reason behind the ads, like a book deal or a TV show.

This test cemented my belief in this concept, the concept of Micro Spokespeople, and no, I am not talking about the Micro Machines guy. Although, his super swift speech on how many marvelous Micro Machines there are, may never leave my head or heart.

Mirco Spokespeople would be fans of your product contacted and contracted to be used in Facebook and other similar pay per click ads on social networking sites to be targeted specifically at their possible IRL (In Real Life) friends and connections they might have through work, hobbies, and or location.

Spokespeople are chosen because they can come across as the guy's guy or the girl's girl or the old people's old person (see Wilford Brimley). Great spokesmen and women have broad appeal and often either come from greater things, or go on to greater things.

The problem with spokespeople these days is that there are just too many of them. There are just too many celebrities, period.

Marketing and advertising through online social networking has become so important because word of mouth has always been the most effective and most sought after form of advertising, because other online modes of messaging have proven to be totally unreliable, totally ineffective, or totally immeasurable. You like the lively alliteration in that sleek sentence?



Creating Micro Spokespeople would combine word of mouth with the celebrity spokesperson by turning kinda guy's guys and sorta girl's girls into a celebrities amongst their friends. Enticing their friends to ask how or why they are popping up on the sidebar, and if the new Low Fat Honey Italian Ranch from Hidden Valley is just as tasty as the original. Think of these Micro Spokespeople as ball-bearings instead of the monster truck tires of celebrity spokespeople. Ball-bearings are cheaper, more versatile, and nine times out of ten, more important.

I don't feel like this is the most brilliant idea I have ever had, but I don't see anyone doing it. I believe wholeheartedly that this could really be a game changer. So, if you or your advertising agency uses this concept to make millions of dollars, can you send me some, or maybe just give me a job.

P.S. Subscribing to Ideas By Chuck might be the smartest and sexiest thing you do today. Click here.

P.P.S. I am looking for a job as either a copywriter, social media manager, or celebrity image consultant. Let me know if you hear of anything. You can contact me via Twitter - @ideasbychuck

P.P.P.S. I think I have said this before, but I actually know what box the term, "Think outside the box," is referring to.

P.P.P.P.S. Hiring me might be the best idea you have ever had.