:: 大众对于病毒式传播的视频广告逐渐产生审美疲劳。尽管制作精良，

// AjS

:: this is an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in the future (and now) of human behavior or anything digital, particularly marketing, communications, and media. I don’t want to spoil it with any commentary / analysis that is already captured (more brilliantly and more compellingly than I would do it) in the below presentation. Slide 13 perhaps says it all though: “…the next generation Internet strategy has got nothing to do with the Internet…”

Okay, one more great combo-quote from the deck, from slides 140 and 153-155: “…having a presence on social media is not social media – talking, discovering, and building relationships are. It’s the nature of your activity that is important, not your choice of technology. We are moving from channels where brands are law enforcers, to arenas where brands are participants. This means that every screen, interface, and object is an opportunity for dialogue, interaction, response, and collaboration. Explore these opportunities rather than just tell your story.”

Last one, I promise, from slide 93: “…our job is not getting people from A to B to C, (our job) is creating value…” Bravo, well done Helge Tennø.  // AjS

:: I can’t help think this video is actually a Mentos viral. But I don’t mind. Notice the soft product placement in the background at the 0:55 mark, and the avoidance of other product logos / names throughout the video, namely the “wall mounted flat screen TV,” “DJ turntables,” etc. Either way, I think it’s a great clip. Very creative and a lot of fun. Does anyone know more about it? Bravo, well done.  // AjS

:: as an update to this 56minus1 post about brands using online video in China from a couple weeks ago, I learned of a new example.

Master Kong (康师傅) ice-tea has just launched a fully interactive, socialized, Webisodic series titled Sunshine in a Guitar (吉他里的阳光). The first episode went live yesterday, with episode #2 going live on the 27th. Link here to see the campaign mini-site.

This is a great example of a mass-consumer brand understanding that its successful participation in the digital space hinges first and foremost on delivering value to online audiences. In this case, the value Master Kong is delivering is free entertaining and engaging content and other interactive fun (voting, points, prizes, opportunities to be in the show, etc.).

This is also an example of another digital best practice: brands going to where its online audiences are, as opposed to expecting online audiences to find them. With all due respect to Master Kong, its online target audience is simply not going to its homepage or any of its other static branded sites – would you? The entire Sunshine in a Guitar campaign is housed within the QQ domain / ecosystem, which for those unaware, is by far the largest and most trafficked social networking, instant messaging, causal gaming, and information / entertainment portal in China (probably the world).

My only criticism of the campaign at this point is that the video content doesn’t appear to be exportable / sharable outside of the branded mini-site. Why not let netizens embed the videos anywhere they want online? All such embedding would link back to he mini- site anyway, thus driving free, organic traffic and Internet word of mouth. For example, me as a blogger would have shared in this post.

It will be interesting to see how this campaign is received and develops. More to come. Check it out for yourselves.

Oddly, Master Kong is using a very obvious image of a MacBook laptop on the campaign’s homepage. I wonder of Apple is paying for product placement. H/T to .  // AjS

:: given the vast appetite of Chinese netizens for video entertainment, online video, if done correctly, is an excellent vehicle for brands’ communications efforts. Funny, clever one-off and viral are always an option, but the possibilities are far greater than simply treating the online world as another platform for the same old same old (i.e. 30 second spots). Below is a snapshot of companies and brands successfully using online video in China to support their communications efforts; everything from viewer-determined webisodic series, subtle product placement, brand sponsored content, contests, voting, user generated advertorial content, C-suites interviews / commentary / updates on services, and, of course, magic!

brand-sponsored web series ::
Sofia’s Diary originated in Portugal as a webisodic soap opera, and later made the jump to broadcast television in the UK. The Chinese edition (苏菲日记) tells the story of Sufei, an 18-year-old girl from Beijing who’s living with her father and step-mother in Shanghai. The show is sponsored by Clinique (倩碧), whose products have a prominent placement in the show itself and in related online promotional materials. Sufei’s blog invites readers to “take a look at the Clinique products Sufei uses in the show.” Other brand sponsors include Sony (Sufei uses a Vaio laptop and other Sony digital devices throughout the show) and 51.com, which she uses in her job hunt. Audience interactivity is fostered in weekly polls where viewers vote for plot twists they want to see in upcoming episodes. The first season of 40 episodes concluded in March, but the Web site promises that a second season is in the works.

brand-produced web series ::
Lu Chen, a magician from Taiwan, was one of the breakout hits of this year’s Spring Festival Gala. He now endorses Nokia mobile phones, and the company recently released a series of branded videos featuring the star. In the “educational” videos in the series, Lu instructs observers in how he performs simple tricks (part I,  part II) involving Nokia phones. A street magic segment unites magic tricks with mobile phone capabilities, amazing and mystifying the audience. Then, in more straightforward advertisement / product presentation, Lu performs different forms of “magic”: he takes advantage of special features of the N(okia)-Gage phone to help his acquaintances with gaming, maps, and email. A flashy online campaign released by Johnnie Walker in 2007 includes a series of five connected shorts telling the story of a creative type who “keeps walking” through life in his attempts to become a screenwriter, accompanied by his friends and refreshing drinks of Black Label. The series has related graphic novel interpretations, games, and quizzes, and is still being promoted in the brand’s overall online communications efforts.

one-off / viral video ::
In September 2008, Lenovo rolled out an online promotional campaign for its S9/S10 Ideapad netbooks that included a cute mascot, a theme song, and a digital video short. The “Always Online” short tells a supernatural love story: A boy tells his girlfriend that she’s too dependent on him; she suspects he’s seeing someone else and breaks up with him. He says he’s “always online,” so she continues to seek his help through her instant messaging program. After she achieves independence and self-confidence, she finds out that he died of cancer, and that his spirit has been inhabiting a stuffed “Kuku bear” that he bought, allowing him to chat with her from the grave. Pop star JJ Lin sings the theme song “Always online” — all of which promotes the “always online” feature of this line of Ideapads. It’s a more successful viral effort than a previous Lenovo laptop promotional campaign, a ham-fisted attempt at “candid photos” of a pretty girl using a red Ideapad U110 laptop.

:: online marketing channels
Tudou has a sub-section for marketing, which hosts contests, games, product exhibitions, promotional activities, and dedicated brand channels for client companies. A typical example is a recently-launched video contest promoting Wahaha’s new beer-flavored tea drink Pierchashuang (啤儿茶爽). Contestants are encouraged to send in their own original commercials for Pierchashuang, which viewers can vote on. Ultimately, the ten most popular will be judged by the organizers of the game, and prizes awarded: a car, a netbook, or a RMB 500 “creative prize.” The competition just started on May 6th, so the entry page currently features TV ads for the drink. Original entries include a girl attempting to drain the bottle and a boy echoing the product slogan “Pierchashuang isn’t beer!” Ku6 has a User Generated Advertising (UGA) department which is involved in generating viral videos. An initial success was a short clip released in January 2009 that showed a young man losing a mobile phone out the door of a subway while he was playing with it. The actual phone wasn’t shown at all, but curious netizens tracked down the Sony Ericsson model that had the peculiar inertia-based game he was playing. A more obviously branded short is a new viral Chevrolet ad that pits the Transformer Bumblebee against a Citroen C4. The ad’s particularly interesting in how it refers back to a previous viral ad from 2007 in which a Citroen C4 transforms into a dancing robot.

corporate c-suite online video communications ::
Sohu was the official online news portal for the Beijing Olympics, and CEO Charles Zhang hosted a celebrity interview show, Sohu Beijing Report, in the run-up to the historic event. Zhang is something of an outsize celebrity himself, and his encounters with Jet Li, Fan Bingbing, Yao Ming, and other famous names had the effect of associating the interviews even more closely with the Sohu brand. Youku CEO Victor Ku releases the occasional video. He too did interviews for the Olympics, and this year did a special New Year’s greetings for the Year of the Ox . The official Youku channel has more of his videos, which range from statements about the video portal’s exclusive offerings to special “CEO vs. CEO” interviews.

// AjS

[Friday 5 is the product of my work at Edelman Digital (China). Link here for the full Friday 5 archive. If you'd like to be added to the bilingual (English & Chinese) Friday 5 email distribution list, please send me an email at: adam DOT schokora AT edelman DOT com.]

:: a great viral video by Ray Ban. Why does it work? First and foremost, because it’s simply compelling / entertaining content. This video would be worth watching / sharing if the sunglasses were not branded.

Second, it’s less than two minutes. It’s the age of hyper-A.D.D., and this couldn’t be more true than on the Internet; anything beyond a few minutes is asking a lot of viewers online.

Third, the brand is only “softly” placed: it’s not in your face, it’s not the focus of the content.

And lastly, in addition to making the video available on general video sharing sites (Youtube, etc.), it was placed in focused online communities where the brand’s (or at least one of its) target audiences hangs out: Collegehumor.com. Online brand efforts should go to where desired audiences play; expecting them to come to the brand is, again, just asking too much.  // AjS

:: netizens in China have a wealth of online choices for obtaining information about cars. Prospective buyers and auto enthusiasts alike can find news and reviews of the latest models on blogs and in special-interest BBS forums, and if they want to make a purchase, there are sites to help them find both new and used cars that suit their requirements. Once they’ve bought a car, they have ample space to discuss their car owning experiences or, should something go wrong, seek help and advice. And a number of brands have taken advantage of blogs and online games to increase their exposure among netizens.

cars on blogs ::
Moyan Qingfeng is an auto commentator associated with Sina’s Auto Channel. He blogs about new models and keeps an eye on industry trends. Recent posts have followed the decline of the mainland’s auto market, which he says is nothing to be surprised about. He’s also associated with Way of the Car, an auto community website that features BBS boards, blogs, and auto analysis. Li Xiang, founder of community website PCPop and car portal Autohome, keeps a blog that’s mostly about cars, although he does muse about entrepreneurship and other unrelated topics from time to time. Xiao Cheng is a Dandong-based auto commentator. His blog is mainly concerned with reviews of new models, and his posts are widely redistributed across the Internet. In blogging-related activities, Sina’s own blogging platform features an application called “I’m Car Crazy” that allows netizens to put up a widget on their blog that displays a car they’ve “purchased” through the system. New users are given a certain number of credits to start with, and they can accumulate credits by posting in Sina forums, answering surveys, or completing other tasks. With more credits, they can purchase better cars. The “Auto Mart” section contains real-world specifications of the different vehicles that are available for “purchase.” Once netizens have purchased a car, they can take part in online games like racing against their blog friends. Popular SNS app Kaixin has a similar game called “Parking Wars” (requires registration) that features lots of different car models.

general auto BBS discussion forums ::
There are lots of places to find information about cars online. All of the major web portals have auto channels featuring the latest news, ads, and pretty pictures, and a number of major standalone sties are devoted to car information. Autohome. One of the biggest auto-specific websites on the mainland. Has its own stable of reviewers and commentators, one of whom, Meng Qingjia, went along on a press tour of China’s Antarctic research station. His trip was sponsored by Nissan X-Trail.  PCAuto claims to be the second-largest auto-related portal on the mainland. One interesting feature, in addition to comprehensive BBS forum and blog offerings, is a fuel economy blog that aggregates netizen data to come up with the most fuel-efficient cars. XCar is another major portal with sub-forums for practically every (sometimes random) interest imaginable. The self-guided holiday sub-forum has over one hundred users, and is a popular venue for people to share experiences about their own travels to faraway places such as Kunming, Tibet and Xinjiang. Several threads are started each month and generate frequent replies. China’s auto-related websites include organic communities and small startups as well as major sites operated by large media companies: CBS Interactive runs the buying sites Cheshi and Go Car, as well as the XCar portal, by virtue of its 2008 acquisition of CNET Networks. PCAuto belongs to Pacific Online, which owns a network of special-interest websites.

making a purchase ::
Che168 is a forum designed to be a comprehensive buyers’ guide to the auto market. It’s part of a network of online buyers’ guides that includes IT website IT168 and has connections to Autohome and mainstream portal PCPop. A clever search function that lets netizens weight the importance of various traits (such as safety, efficiency, economy, brand, and power) on a sliding percentage scale. GoCar (购车网) is a no-frills car buying website. Front and center is a search box for country, make, price range, and style. There are sub-sites for Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shandong, detailed information on a wide range of models, and tools for figuring out loan and payment numbers. Data comes  from a selection of online partners as well as relationships with offline dealers like Oriental Foundation International Auto Mall. The site is connected to XCar forums, so it does not host a local BBS. Cheshi (车市), which belongs to the same company, is more focused on information and buyers’ guidance, and features an active BBS which hosts sub-forums devoted to popular makes and models. The site also has a list of expert agents who are available to answer buyers’ questions. Judging from the response rankings, visitors to Cheshi are interested in new cars: the repair, rental, and second-hand experts have very few questions directed at them. Taotaocar (淘淘二手车网) is a website founded in 2007 to facilitate the buying and selling of used cars. It’s set up like an automotive version of the online auction house Taobao, and offers model- and price-based searching options and special sub-sections organized by location. Advertisements (or partner links) are from various used car dealers. Another technique for buying cars is group purchasing. Prospective buyers seek volume discounts by approaching car dealers as a group, and they frequently organize themselves using the Internet. Netizens find other interested purchasers on web forums, but the actual discussion mostly takes place off the web using tools like Tencent’s QQ messaging software (see this CIC narrative for details).

websites for car owners ::
Netizens who own cars have a wealth of online forums to choose from. Most comprehensive auto forum websites have sub-boards where owners of particular models can congregate; some of them also have sub-boards devoted to particular geographic regions. Independent sites cater to specialized interests. Pochezu (破车族), or “Jalopies,” is an auto forum aimed at existing car owners. Rather than focusing on the latest models, information on this site concerns auto maintenance and repair, tricks for keeping a car looking good, and directories of after-market services and destinations you may want to drive to. Car owners interested in tuning their vehicles can visit Modi-Auto, a community devoted to the art of improving car performance. Started in 2004 as a bare-bones BBS by tuning enthusiasts, it has grown into an archive of relevant news and information with an active discussion forum attached where newbies and experts can talk tuning. Another way car owners get together is through driving tours. Car Trips is a specialty forum devoted to organizing self-guided driving tours and sharing experiences and photos. Netizens discuss routes, lodging, and destinations, and sometimes arrange group excursions.

online branding / marketing ::
The Other Blog is a MINI-branded blog hosted on Sina. It features the latest ads for the Mini Cooper S standard and Clubman models surrounding blog posts related to design, art, and other trendy topics the brand wants to be associated with. Blog post contests are another way for brands to increase their exposure in the digital space. In 2008, Toyota held a contest for bloggers on Tencent’s QQ platform to promote its new Corolla model. Owners were asked to write about the joys of Corolla ownership or tell of their experiences with the car, with the winners receiving a GPS system, a netbook, a gas card, or other car- and travel-related prizes. In 2008, Anhui’s JAC Motors partnered with Sina to place its Rein SRV into a driving game. As part of the promotional campaign, net gamers competed in a series of elimination rounds with the ultimate winners getting the use of a Rein vehicle for one year, a laptop computer, or other high-tech prizes.

// AjS

[Friday 5 is the product of my work at Edelman Digital (China). Link here for the full Friday 5 archive. If you'd like to be added to the bilingual (English & Chinese) Friday 5 email distribution list, please send me an email at: adam DOT schokora AT edelman DOT com.]

:: Sam Flemming is the co-founder and CEO of CIC (blog), the first and leading Internet Word of Mouth (IWOM) research and consulting firm in China. His company is at the forefront of exploring Chinese digital culture and helping companies and brands understand how Chinese Internet Word of Mouth is impacting and can be used to inform marketing communications, customer relationships, and research and development.

56minus1: Why is IWOM relevant for companies / brands in China? We all know about the crisis side of things online in China, with nationalistic “fenqing,” etc., but what kind of opportunities does the world of Chinese IWOM present companies / brands in China?

Sam Flemming: Ultimately, we see IWOM as INTELLIGENCE that enables brands to understand and take part in the way IWOM is redefining the relationship between institutions (like brands) and consumers. This is the theme of our recently released white paper series, see part 4 here; I also wrote about this here. IWOM is an essential part (among many) of the marketing communications mix: it’s part of crisis / reputation monitoring, marketing effectiveness measurement, market research, marketing (i.e. online community marketing), competitive intelligence, and creative inspiration. IWOM is, in essence, reshaping each of these different marketing communications disciplines.

What are some of the biggest mistakes you and your team see companies / brands / agencies making online in China regarding IWOM (or digital marketing / PR / interactive work)? Why are they mistakes?

Sam Flemming: One big mistake is thinking they can control IWOM by posting fake messages or getting negative messages deleted (see great example here; the whole Sanlu Milk powder case is also worthy of mention). IWOM is made up of the hundreds of millions of voices of the Internet community and to assume that as a single institution the brand can control IWOM is a fantasy at best.

Without naming names or pointing fingers, tell us a little bit about the darker side of the Chinese Internet (i.e. astroturfing, portals’ manipulation of scandalous brand crises for page views, its overly commercial nature, sketchy forum administers working with astroturfers, privacy issues, etc.)

Sam Flemming: Here’s my quick take on some of the “hot button” issues:

1. The biggest difference of IWOM in the West and in China is that Chinese IWOM is hosted on very commercial platforms like portals, whereas in the US, for example, blogs are not. When platforms are commercial, the incentives for the platforms to do most anything to drive page views, including courting controversy, is very strong.
2. Astroturfing is relatively cheap due to lower labor costs in China and it offers a very tangible solution for agencies or managers to appear to “do” something “web 2.0″ even if it doesn’t have much effect (other than alienating and harming the community). You and I both shared thoughts on this here.
3. Some forum administrators will work with astroturfing agencies to post messages for a fee, this is true; this actually points to the larger trend that IWOM platforms are commercial and need to generate revenue for the value that they provide (i.e. connecting brands to consumers). Charging brands to connect / participate “in the conversation” within a community that takes time / effort / money to build and maintain is not inherently wrong, especially when it can provide distinct value. Why shouldn’t Twitter charge brands for commercial accounts when companies like Dell have reportedly generated US$1 million in 1.5 years (in the West, not in China). However, such processes / policies should be transparent, and they most often not in China.
4. Monitoring and removal of content is largely done by the commercial IWOM platforms themselves; it is in their best interest to not have content that is offensive or breaks any law.

56minus1: What are some of the smartest / most-effective campaigns you and your team see companies / brands / agencies executing online in China regarding IWOM (or digital marketing / PR / interactive)? Why are they smart / effective?

Sam Flemming: I outline our view of “IWOM centered marketing” here where I talk about how Johnson Baby has done great things with its Mom Ambassador program and how Intel used a simple but powerful approach to generate buzz within the Intel (aka “I-fan”) community.

56minus1: Can u share a few examples of CIC clients using CIC insights to inform their digital marketing / PR / interactive strategies or campaigns?

Sam Flemming: I can’t get into too many specifics, but our insights about sports communities regularly feed into the creative for Nike digital and media. We track campaign effectiveness of several other clients by tracking various elements of IWOM buzz (see here for example measurements) and combine these findings with other digital and market research agencies to put together comprehensive reports that provide a detailed understanding of campaign performance from all important angles. We also work with R&D departments to assist in their product development and with PR departments for reputation monitoring. You can see plenty of case studies of how brands use IWOM intelligence to help drive their communications in our recent “The Internet is THE Community” white papers, especially part one and part four.

56minus1: Who “gets” IWOM and the “digital imperative” best in China? PR firms, advertising agencies, interactive / digital agencies, etc.? Or, are they all hopeless? Who gets its the least (or is the most hopeless)? Why? What brands really get it?

Sam Flemming: Digital agencies seem to do better, in general, since they are more familiar with the overall digital environment. PR and advertising still view social media as a last minute add on. These are generalizations, and there are always exceptions. Of course the agencies and clients who get IWOM the best are the ones who work with companies like us.  ;-)

56minus1: What are three (or more if you have more) IWOM (or digital marketing / PR / interactive) trends in China to keep a look for in the near future?

Sam Flemming:

1. SNS audiences prove finicky: SNS will continue to grow, but the key challenge will be for the SNS players to garner loyalty. Xiaonei was 2007 / 2008. Kaixin is 2008 / 2009. What’s next? I am not sure there is much loyalty with Chinese netizens.
2. Development of vertical SNS: I predicted last year that vertical SNS like Babytree would become more popular. I still think this will happen as there are already so many BBS verticals with powerful communities (i.e. Xcar and HoopChina), that it seems like a no brainer for existing BBS communities to leverage SNS functions or new SNS verticals to develop within popular topic areas.
3. Refinement of communications strategies based on different roles of blogs, BBS, and SNS: Blogs are driven by self expression (i.e. content driven by “me’”), BBS are driven by information / topics (i.e. content driven by “topics”), and SNS are driven by netizen relationships. Like any good conversationalist or community member, brands need to shape their communication approach based on understanding the motivations and purpose of each communication space. This was a topic that came out in our IWOM summit meetings with 17 of our clients late last year. I also wrote about it in detail here.

56minus1: What’s special or unique about Chinese netizens and local Internet culture? Interesting examples?

Sam Flemming: I would say the sheer force of the Internet as a primary and mainstream media which both influences and serves as a channel for consumers, especially in top tier cities, is unmatched by any other market, at least in the West (Korea could make some claims here). We continually document examples in our white papers (see especially our IWOM watch half year reviews like this one and special IWOM watch on the Sichuan earthquake here) and on our blogs www.seeisee.com/sam (English) and www.seeisee.com (Chinese). Another unique element is that, as I mentioned above, the hottest social media platforms are largely commercial which can lend to a different dynamic than the West (i.e. there may be a certain tendency to highlight controversy).

56minus1: Does CIC have plans to move from a research / consulting firm to an agency that executes digital / interactive campaigns? Considering CIC’s insight and understanding of the space in China, seems like a logical step. Why haven’t you done it already?

Sam Flemming: We believe it important to serve as 3rd party, credible, and objective partner in providing research and consulting to our clients. If we execute, then we lose that unique positioning. We don’t think the market needs more agencies; we think agencies need to better learn to appreciate how IWOM can inform their strategy and execution.

56minus1: Talk about your business. When did the company start? How have you grown over the years? Practices? Products? Offices, staff numbers, company culture, plans for the future, hiring, etc.

Sam Flemming: Founded in 2004, CIC has always focused exclusively on IWOM research and consulting. We have developed our own proprietary text mining technology for the unique Chinese social media landscape and have a dedicated team of analysts who understand IWOM, communications and vertical industries in China (esp. auto, mobile phone, consumer electronics, cosmetics, baby, sports, and beverage). I do think we have a unique company culture as an independent agency which is “out of the box” as part of its very DNA.

56minus1: Thanks Sam.

// AjS

:: public relations, marketing, and advertising blogs form a closely-linked community online in China. See below for a few noteworthy examples. The first four items are well-known in their respective fields and show up in each other’s blogrolls with heavy interlinking. The fifth item is a ringer that serves to show how traditional PR in China is taking advantage of blogs and online communities.

1. Flyu
Flyu (飞扬新锐) says it “focuses on social media marketing and community word of mouth.” It’s a blog written by Yang Lei, former marketing director for the Yupoo photo site and founder of a number of online ventures including Weyii.com. Topics covered on Flyu include branding, social networking site (SNS)-related marketing, and Internet word of mouth (IWOM). Recent posts have followed the repositioning of Weyii.com from a cosmetics rating portal to a vertical SNS for women.

2. New Marketing Observer
Written by (孙志峰), this blog on digital marketing in the context of the Internet and SNS communities shows up on a lot of blogrolls. The author, a marketing professional in Shanghai, presents case studies of online marketing efforts and analyzes their performance, such as Starbucks’ experiment with SNS and Mengniu’s search engine optimization / marketing efforts.

3. General Web2.0 topics
IT Focus is kept by Liu Huafang (柳华芳), a well-known IT columnist. Liu analyzes a wide variety of Web2.0-related topics including marketing and serves up IT job placements on another section of his site. The Moonlight Blog is kept by William Long. Its articles, which cover topics ranging from hosting issues and software, are widely-cited by other tech blogs. The author closely follows developments in the search industry and also reports on new trends in Web2.0 technologies. A large proportion of the posts on both of these blogs is directly applicable to digital marketing and IWOM-related topics.

4. Corporate Sites
CIC, an Internet word-of-mouth research and consulting firm, keeps a Chinese-language blog which comments on memes, developments in Internet word-of-mouth marketing, and other online trends relevant to the communications industries. From time to time it also publishes research results (in English). The blog is closely followed by people in the Web2.0 / digital marketing business and is on the blogroll of a lot of other IWOM bloggers. China Focus Interactive is a company engaged in Web2.0-oriented marketing and has a blog, Sonia’s Buzz, that discusses IWOM and Web2.0-related topics.

5. Aggregators and portals
China PR Blog is an aggregator of blogs written about the PR industry and by PR industry professionals. It’s run under the authorization of the China International Public Relations Association, which also publishes the industry trade, PR Magazine. 17 PR, founded in 2004, is China’s earliest PR portal. It aggregates news, educational materials, expert articles, and other information as part of a Web1.0-style website (yuck!), and it also features blogging and forums as web2.0-style tools (yay!) for information exchange. It’s currently home to the widely-read PR blogger Gao Peng. iResearch.cn has a Web2.0 section that features in-house columnists as well as other news and analysis concerning blogs, SNS, online communities, and e-magazines.

// AjS

:: as quick as they may be to call shenanigans on corporate / brand hype, Chinese netizens still enjoy interesting, well-made viral videos even after they’ve realized that they’re being marketed to. The following selection of videos have recently become popular on mainland Chinese video Web sites.

Bruce Lee can do anything with nun chucks ::
Bruce Lee was so awesome at kung fu that he was able to play ping pong with his nunchucks (embedded below, too). Or at least that’s what this wildly popular viral ad for a special Bruce Lee-edition Nokia phone would have you believe. The ad was apparently first deployed in a 10-second version that looked like hidden-camera footage, and it was only later that a longer version was released with Nokia branding attached. A second video suggested that Bruce was even more awesome: when someone tossed matches in the air, he could strike and light them off his nun chucks, or light a match held in someone’s mouth with a flip of his nun chucks…(牛B!)… The videos were well-timed, coming on the heels of a CCTV dramatization of the action star’s life. Bravo Nokia. (Bravo W+K?)

the world’s toughest Chevy driver ::
A woman gets into a fight with a man who’s trying to tow her car. Furious, she gets into the driver’s seat of her Chevrolet Captiva and drives off, pulling the tow-truck behind her, as a bystander films the whole scene with a shaky hand-cam (embedded just below, too). Netizens on a wide variety of forums were quick to identify this video as a hoax, guessing from the truck driver’s strangely subdued behavior and the prominence of the “Captiva” name in the video post’s title that it was part of the car’s marketing campaign. A mainstream media follow-up report that is now making the rounds of the big video sharing sites reveals that the agency that hired the towing company has vanished.

smart clean-up ::
Two graffiti artists are eyeing a long expanse of wall that is currently covered in a mess of handbills and spray-paint scrawl. A young kid watches them: will their actions lead him astray? No, they’ve got water balloons and hoses and are actually there to scrub away the mess, leaving only the silhouette of a car behind (embedded below, too). It’s an ad for Smart, a microcar that’s being launched throughout China in the coming months. The video’s in Youtube’s “originals” section and has since been uploaded to other video hosts and linked from automotive and entertainment BBSs.

“Shanzhai” (山寨) Liu Xiang ::
A valet who looks suspiciously like Liu Xiang chases down a man in an ill-fitting Kung Fu Panda suit who has stolen a kid’s bucket of KFC. When he can’t get the bucket back, our ersatz Liu whips out an “Ai Bang” card to buy the kid a new bucket. It’s a shanzhai version – a knock-off of an ad Liu Xiang did for Visa in which he chases a kangaroo that has run off with a girl’s teddy bear. Ai Bang (爱帮) is a consumer-focused search engine of sorts.

CounterStrike breaks the fourth wall ::
A warrior avoids a land mine and then makes his kill by interacting with the seek bar of the video player (embedded below, too). It’s a promo for a game called CounterStrike Online, and it combines the player-vs-player action familiar to Chinese gamers from the original CounterStrike with the stick-figure fighting from popular animations like the Xiao Xiao series, and other similar shorts where characters interact with the video frame itself.

// AjS

[Friday 5 is the product of my work at Edelman Digital (China). Link here for the full Friday 5 archive. If you'd like to be added to the bilingual (English & Chinese) Friday 5 email distribution list, please send me an email at: adam DOT schokora AT edelman DOT com.]