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When it all goes wrong (sort of)


For almost all public relations firms and marketing agencies social media is high on the list of priorities when it comes to new campaigns. And not just those that practice and preach the ways of web 2.0 to the extent we do here on Mount Street.
But what happens when things go a little awry? Well, as a recent stunt for SAS Airlines proved, all may not be lost, even if Facebook shuts you down for contravening the social network’s terms and conditions.
The idea was simple. CP+B Europe were charged with promoting the aforementioned airline’s 1million seat sale online, and asked fans to swap their profile image for a thumbnail bearing the slogan: ‘Fares up for Grabs’. Then entrants posted a second, matching thumbnail to the SAS Facebook page, with the most innovative submission winning a free trip to Paris.
It’s a fantastic example of how to use common content, such as photographs, in a fun and engaging way that offers consumers a good chance at a great prize, with relatively little hassle in this camera-phone age. In return the company received an increase in web traffic, and free publicity for both day-to-day products, and the discounted tickets. What’s more, since the competition was removed by the powers that be even more people are talking about it, meaning whatever angle you analyse it from the creative minds behind the campaign have done a great job. Not that we condone breaking rules of course…

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