Anyone see the Yahoo adverts last night?

Channel 5 - the gerbil thing

[nicebloke]

Last night I was watching Channel 5 (bad I know...) when an ad came on for Yahoo.

There was a maybe 5 second shot of what I think was a baby gerbil, with some strange noises, and a url in the top corner. They ran all through Tango and Cash!

I was most bemused I can tell you -- and when I came to type in the url this morning, I was even more bemused - it didn't work!

Sure it was www.yahoo.co.uk/gerbil/ ... and of course -page not found!

[engine]

Hi Nicebloke,
I didn't see the advert - hmmmmm.

I checked the link and it redirects to http://uk.docs.yahoo.com/gerbil_home.html [uk.docs.yahoo.com] Warning - horrible orange colour ahead!

Good idea, but not very corporate, from a colour scheme point of view.

Have you got a name for the gerbil?
Warren is the leader, with Sebastion second. Dillon and Brian, the early leaders, have dropped by the wayside.
Looks like it's going to be Warren!

[NFFC]

That is awful, I really have no idea what they are thinking of:

"We could think of no cooler way of filling the airtime than to follow this fascinating creature, each day, during the Channel 5 Movie, for the next 12 months."

Someone needs to have a word with the marketing genius who came up with this "campaign". Maybe they would be better to concentrate on returning calls from potential advertisers, called them 4 times this year not *once* have they called back!

[vis]

"There is a Yahoo! Camera crew on site to document the daily activities of the gerbil, and it will be there for the next 12 months! "

Seems a perfectly good use of time. Hopefully in 12 months the Gerbil will be fully trained up and be able to take on some site reviewing responsibilities.

I've already taken the liberty of sending my site's url to the gerbilmail. I'm expecting a delay, as the gerbil's eyes don't open for 17 days but even that is good by Yahoo standards.

[nicebloke]

Is it right that this animal is subject to such media attention?

What about the long-term psychological effects? Does the gerbil have a choice?

How will he answer all the email?

(I emailed him 28/3/01 at 11:20am and so far no repsonse...)

[engine]

It's so naff, its good.
Just the sort of thing that makes people talk about the gerbil.
Right, that's it, i'm saying no more - I've got my own gerbil-type campaigns to organise. ;)

[Mike_Mackin]

This is clearly the start of a Gerbil Vortal.

[bigjohnt]

He'll never outpace hampsterdance. Not even with national TV.

[AndyJ]

Maybe they've not got the live camera on it yet because it might get eaten! That's what happened with my baby gerbils when I was a kid. The mother ate them! (Evil cow):(

[mivox]

Last night I was watching Channel 5 (bad I know...)

Culture gap! We don't have anything but static on Channel five where I live..;)

"We could think of no cooler way of filling the airtime than to follow this fascinating creature, each day, during the Channel 5 Movie, for the next 12 months."

That's just way too strange... WAAAAYYY too strange.

He'll never outpace hampsterdance. Not even with national TV.

Dunno... they could come up with a darned good soundtrack for little Warren. Maybe they could teach him to twitch in time with the music...

[nicebloke]

Hey got a reply from the gerbil!
________________________

Hi Andy,

Thanks for your email. Warren is currently having a great time lapping up all the attention associated with his new found fame.

Keep on watching him on C5 and soon on his liveweb-cam.

Thanks

Gerbil Support Team

[uk.docs.yahoo.com...]

--- Andy <> wrote: > hello likkle gerbil
________________________

hmmmm.........

[nicebloke]

This gets worse.

I just got another email from [e-mail] - obviously I am now on the gerbil list.

The reason I mention this is I can see all the other folk on the list too, AND their email addresses. Some of them are very offensive and include the dreaded c word.

Maybe I'm just being a bit over the top but, if this 'service' is aimed at children, then I don't think they should be seeing this....

Puppies are definitley a better idea...

[engine]

Oh dear! A marketing blunder.
As you're already on the list, perhaps you should inform Warren's keeper of this gross error.

[nicebloke]

Date: Tue, 1 May 2001 14:44:53 +0100
From: Warren <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Important - Re Gerbil Campaign
To: Andy

Thanks for bringing our attention to it - it will be
removed!

Thanks

Gerbil Support Team

___________________________

Geeeez!!!

[gordi555]

Its a cracking advertsing idea, its known as viral marketing and makes everyone talk about it like you are doing now. Just goes to show it works.

Get it up people,

Gordon McNevin

[nicebloke]

I'm only talking about it now as they mailed me the "c**t" word.

(Less than 70 people on the mail-out)