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January 02, 2006
SpreadFirefox, the videos
The video testimonial program for SpreadFirefox has captured testimonials from around the world. People from Minsk to Minneapolis sit in front of their computer screens and proclaim, "Firefox rocks!"
SpreadFirefox is the volunteer marketing team for the browser alternative to Internet Explorer. Curiously, though, the testimonial program uses a fairly restrictive video creation system. To contribute, you must use a webcam hooked to your computer and a pre-ordained web-based recording system which records a low-resolution, 320x280-pixel video. For viewers, the testimonial videos are rather pixelated, likely due to the low-end nature of most webcams.
As for the testifiers, it's usually young men sitting in front of their computer screens. Theoretically, that makes sense. Firefox is a computer program. What's missing in this great idea is the opportunity for ebullient Firefox evangelists to use better-quality videocameras and iMovie to create productions. I could see a Firefox evangelist taking his video camera around the office and interviewing the tech team and CIO, Scoble-style, on the browser's reliability, or creating an amateur music video or a lush anime.
With more than 128 million Firefox downloads to date spawned by an open-source framework and a pretty passionate community of evangelists, the number and quality of video productions could be inspiring.
I think, though, this marketing program's current iteration circumvents the possibility of a viral video like this one. But that's the nature of innovation and evangelism: keep trying.
Update: Paul Kim, Mozilla's director of product marketing, writes that SpreadFirefox has launched a separate contest for citizen marketers to create 30-second ads for the browser. Creators are free to use any tools at their disposal.
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Ben: Thanks for the feedback on the Testimonials campaign at Spread Firefox. To your point about enabling our users to create high quality video productions: last month we unveiled part two of the community marketing campaign for Firefox 1.5, the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest, which will enalbe high quality video contributions from our users. Check out firefoxflicks.com for contest details.
Paul -- Thanks for the FYI. I'm unable to find anything on Firefoxflicks.com about the new program other than a host of sponsored ads. Is the URL correct?
Hmm... our domain appears to have been hijacked. Try video.spreadfirefox.com/adcontest instead. I'll check with our webmaster to resolve the issue with the other domain name.
When you combine the power of the customer advocate, the evangelist spirit, and the blog what else is left. The power of customers telling the story far out weighs any impact that the traditional marketing and branding machines can have on a product or company. Perhaps the marketing industry needs to revamp and get with the real customer experience movement instead of just renaming an old program to sound different.
Firefox is just one of hundreds that have swept the blog community for good or for bad. I remember a slogan from the 60's that said "Power to the People", I know that dates me a little, but it fits. There is a blog that also talks about the power of the blog in business at http://cdccustomerservice.blogspot.com for those who would care to learn more about how this great medium can be used in defining business.
Thanks for the timely and great article
Happy New Year
maybe they require such low resolution to ensure no one can see that firefox users also have IE open in the background (just kidding). it should be interesting to see what is submitted now that they are allowing better technology and also how many other big companies will copy this idea.
The domain issues have been (mostly) sorted out. You can find more info about the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest at http://video.spreadfirefox.com/adcontest/
- A
