Bad: Missing a viral marketing opportunity because you didn't post your commercial on YouTube

I had a "Banner Bank moment" today and much to my dismay, when I tried to share the concept with my friend who's on the East Coast, there was no reference to the commercial that I could find online. For anyone who lives in the PNW (and doesn't have cable, like me) you've surely seen the Banner Bank commercials. They tell how we're all connected in one way or another using a story that showcases their different clients and the unique connections that create a network.

I've been engaged in an ongoing conversation with my new bud Jeremy about building community in a Web2.0 world. While Banner may think they are focused on the PNW and thus only need to reach that market, they don't realize they miss a huge opportunity by not posting their already produced commercials on the Web (at a minimum on their Website). Had I sent the link to Jeremy, and he use their example to make a point in his blog, it's highly possible that others would pick it up and either blog about it or email it. The chances that someone in the PNW would see it- possibly someone that hasn't seen their commercials- are pretty good.

That's one way viral buzz happens. I'm not sure Banner Bank could have created viral buzz simply by posting, but by not making the clips available online, they surely missed an opportunity.

Good: AMA Beyond 2.0 Hot Topic Series

Yesterday I attended the American Marketing Association Hot Topic: Beyond 2.0 (applying the whole social media/web2.0 concept to business). In a nutshell, it was great. They showcased fantastic examples that businesses are already doing to join or start a conversation about their products and services.

The session was presented by Toby Bloomberg (Diva Marketing) and Bill Flitter (Pheedo). Dana VanDen Heuvel developed much of the content, it sounds like, but was unable to present.

I must say, I was suspicious that they could really deliver actionable content in a short 8 hr session, but I've got my action plan! So, if you're curious, I recommend checking it out. New dates were just added.

I'm planning to start another blog documenting my own journey implementing WebX.0 in marketing- tune in if you're interested (I'll post the link when it's up).

Thanks for reading- don't forget to spread the word!