On today's season premiere of The Oprah Show the line between advertisement and content is skillfully blurred. Oprah has discovered in past years the power of the audience giveaway. Nothing seems to send her audience into a frenzy faster than giving them expensive free stuff. Builds huge experiential value into attending a taping of the show.
Oprah has built her personality brand to the point where companies of all kinds are eager to work with her and provide products and cash donations. Having your product endorsed and given away by Oprah is of huge marketing value. Your product instantly becomes part of the Oprah story for hundreds of audience members as they buzz about their Oprah experience.
On today's show for example she gives everyone in her audience a brand new Pontiac G6. That's over 275 cars. The show was far from an infomercial about Pontiac. Yes Oprah mentioned Pontiac and even toured the assembly plant but she didn't shill for them. The giveaway was focused on making the dreams of her audience come true. I am sure Pontiac got their money's worth. Reported to be $7 million. Several hundred people went home with a new car which they will drive for a good long time telling everyone who will listen the story of how they got it. Exponential word of mouth marketing for Pontiac and Oprah. On top of that hundreds perhaps thousands of people will go to dealerships to check out "that car that Oprah gave away."
It's whisper marketing from Pontiac. The soft sell that rides on the wings of a popular personality brand.
=omg this is soo cool! i wish i was at that oprah giveaway! shes cool
Posted by: kayla | Saturday, November 13, 2004 at 05:00 PM