Having created projects like the massive Audi A3 “The Art of the H3ist” last year (SHOOT, 7/15/05), ad agency McKinney, Durham, N.C., has gained a reputation as being a leader in online and integrated marketing campaigns. With the shop’s recent online initiative Pherotones.com, creatives at McKinney have launched the previously unknown Raleigh, N.C.-based Oasys Mobile into the public consciousness.
To introduce cell phone users to Oasys Mobile, a company that provides content for cell phones including ringtones, wallpaper and games, agency staffers developed the concept of Pherotones. The term, which combines the words pheromones with ringtones, refers to naturally occurring, inaudible, subsonic sounds that make a person more sexually attractive.
The prominent figure on Pherotones.com is intimacy expert Dr. Myra Vanderhood, who reportedly discovered Pherotones in Denmark. At The Auditory Institute, RTP, she and her colleagues continue to study the causes and effects of Pherotones and gather evidence of their power.
Thus far, the only evidence of a Pherotonal response occurring in the natural world is in a viral video on the site. The scene, in what appears to be a home movie, begins with a man and woman making their wedding vows. Then, a cell phone begins to ring and the couple is obviously distracted. Ultimately the groom runs through the church toward the man with the ringing phone and it seems like a fight is unavoidable. But, it turns out the groom isn’t angry–he is turned on by the ring and begins to rip off his shirt as he enthusiastically kisses the phone’s owner.
From this video, the site states, the researchers realize that “Pherotones must be more carefully calibrated and more thoroughly refined. Some such as ‘El Cuddlero’ and ‘The Wizard’s Sleeve,’ are currently under potency review.”
“El Cuddlero” and “The Wizard’s Sleeve” are two of the Pherotones offered in two categories, one set for men and one for women. Some of the other interesting Pherotone names include “A Good Strong Man” and “Last Kall.” The description for the latter states, “It’s closing time, but don’t worry–you’re not going home alone. Just toss this flirty, playful Pherotone to the luckiest boy in the room and you’ll be going home with the kind of nice, shy guy who you know likes you, but is too reserved and classy to ever hit on you.” All of the Pherotones are offered as free downloads.
If a visitor thinks he or she has had a Pherotonal experience and was able to document it, the organization would like for the evidence to be submitted on a page devoted to testimonials.
THE REAL DOCTORS
After the client challenged it with the task of introducing Oasys Mobile to the difficult-to-reach demographic of 18-24 year olds, the agency looked into this group’s interests. The research showed the creatives how important ringtones are to this target audience.
“We found out through working with the planners here that ringtones for the eighteen to twenty-four-year-old market are their calling cards and they love hearing their ringtones and they love having other people hear their ringtones,” said associate creative director Matt Fischvogt. “In fact, they let their ringtones play the entire length of the tone before they answer the phone because they want people to know who they are through their ringtones.”
This demographic is also very interested in dating, associate creative director Jason Musante pointed out. By combining these elements, the creatives crafted the idea of Pherotones and the story of a Danish doctor who is researching them–the overall intention being to create a fun story and engage in a dialogue with the audience.
To spur further interaction with the audience, the shop had a blog up on the site where the doctor would post information for those interested in her work and she would chat with people via instant messaging (IM). But after a swell of interest, including an article in The New York Times, Fischvogt explained that the doctor was a bit overwhelmed and has been spending most of her time in the lab (not online).
McKinney had a live person answering the IMs in order to give the audience members what, Musante said, they want–continuous engagement. “That sparked people talking about it because it’s not everyday that a marketer and an ad agency are willing to have a dialogue with the target and respect them enough, to trust them enough, to engage with them,” he said. “We really loved the target. They’re very savvy and they get it and they go with us and they went with us here and that was one of the pleasures of understanding how to talk with them–once you do that, they really come through.”
The story on the site has evolved from the doctor looking for a distributor for Pherotones to her eventual partnership with Oasys Mobile to fulfill that role. This progression has provided new content for the audience and a link to Oasys Mobile’s offerings on OasysMobile.com.
To drive traffic to the site, the agency creative team relied heavily on word of mouth. Additionally there were small blog ad buys and print elements. “What was wonderful about this campaign was trusting the target with the message, a fun story, and allowing them to share it,” concluded Musante.
