Do Something Worth Talking About

If you’re struggling with the concept once called “permission marketing,” then re-branded as “social marketing,” and finally re-packaged into “content marketing,” let me boil it down for you.

When most of your target audience is empowered to talk as well as listen, doing something worth talking about can be a highly effective marketing strategy.

Be useful. Be entertaining. Be bold.

Need an example? The makers of the new and improved Star Trek – the most highly anticipated summer movie in geekdom – recently held a private screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (generally regarded among connoisseurs including myself to be among the best of the franchise.) The sweetener was a sneak peek at 10 minutes of the new film before the rest of humanity, which for fans has roughly the gravitational attraction of a red dwarf.

But 10 minutes into Khan, the film burns up and the projector stops. Dammit.

Lights up, out walk the 3 screenwriters of the new flick. Kewl! They come out and talk shop… then some guy walks up in a black trenchcoat. Wait. Is that… No. OMYGOD. LEONARD FREAKING NIMOY.

Mr. Spock himself thanks everyone for coming, talks about how great the new movie will be, then says, “You know what? You guys want to see the whole thing???”

Crowd goes WILD, see for yourself:

Here’s a taste of what happened next on Twitter.

THAT is social marketing, my friends. There are nuances to appreciate and tools to master, as with any discipline, but THAT is scalable intimacy in my book.

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• Stunned Star Trek fans get early sneak peek at new movie (cbc.ca)
• Spock gives fans Star Trek treat (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Nimoy Stuns Austin Crowd with Secret Star Trek Premiere (wired.com)
• Nimoy Delivers Advanced Star Trek Screening to Unsuspecting Fans (themovieblog.com)
• Star Trek Has Premiered & The Buzz Is… AWESOME! (screenrant.com)

Tagged as: Marketing, Marketing and Advertising, Social marketing, Social Media, Spock, Star Trek, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan