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easyeboy easyeboy
 

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M$1.00  Funded By Mahalo ? |  March 06, 2009 02:50 AM

Are there some companies who can advertise for free and get away with it, whereas others cannot?

Are there companies who can easily ask a question about the company, whether it's a product or service and easily not looked at as advertising? Why do you think this is?
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jabba jabba
 
 March 06, 2009 03:40 AM
Well, the company that immediately jumps to mind is Twitter. They get mentioned every half an hour or so on CNN ("Follow us on Twitter"). Other companies would have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a day for the kind of exposure Twitter gets for free on that network. That really isn't fair when you start to think about it. Other TV networks have jumped on the bandwagon as well. ESPN I've noticed is plugging their Twitter account a great deal too.

So, why do I think this is? Mostly due to the brilliance of the people who founded it. Certain companies are so woven into our culture that mentions of them are no longer viewed as ads, no matter what the context. One day Mahalo will be like that. In fact, very, very soon.

You'll see. It's going to become the de facto place that people go to when they're looking for answers to questions online. How do I know? Because the wheels have been set into motion. Arranging to get @answers was an excellent move. Now Mahalo Answers' popularity will be driven off the back of Twitter's. Do you think Yahoo! Answers is pissed that Calacanis took @answers on Twitter? They should be, but they probably aren't even paying attention to it. They're going to become a dinosaur quickly because they stopped trying to innovate that service years ago. You really only need one A-list celebrity to pimp a service on a consistent basis to create a thing that enters the public lexicon. Once this happens with Mahalo Answers, its popularity will shoot through the rough. Once someone like Tina Fey shows up here answering questions and participating in the Mahalo community like an average user, Mahalo Answers will hit its stride. Went on a bit a ramble there...
Asker's Rating:
• Excellent answer, and example. I highly doubt Twitter is paying for advertising, but they get a nice plug on the very top of Mahalo Answers.


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easyeboy easyeboy
 
March 06, 2009 03:53 AM
Good answer! This whole website is like an advertisement for Twitter. Look up top, "Ask questions via twitter! Message any question to @answers on twitter."

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drmatt drmatt
 
March 06, 2009 02:54 AM
I guess it depends on how you define advertising... I'm planning a number of "publicity stunts" to advertise a new business. It's relatively free and I'm hoping to get the local newspapers involved.

You say "get away with it". I'm curious what that means. I think it's just fine to get free advertisement.

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
March 06, 2009 03:15 AM
I mean that you can say something like, "I was eating at (Name a Fast Food Restaurant), and my girlfriend got really sick and started to embarrass me, how would you have handled the situation?" I am now looking to break up with her, should I? Let's say you work for this (Name a Fast Food Restaurant), or you are the owner of this restaurant, you are advertising it, or plugging it in your question on here. Now, if you said, "Dr. Matt's Restaurant" or something like that on here, Mahalo Answers community would think you are advertising Dr. Matt's Restaurant, because you are Dr. Matt. However, the anonymous user who adds the other restaurant, despite its ubiquity is technically advertising it and getting away with it. Nobody will seem to care about it when it's a known name, but as soon as you say Dr. Matt's Restaurant, they are thinking that you are out to advertise etc.

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drmatt drmatt
 
March 06, 2009 04:18 AM
So, you're wondering what's the line between advertising and username/questions on MA?

I'm really confused...

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easyeboy easyeboy
 
March 06, 2009 06:15 PM
Good answer!

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djscram djscram
 
March 06, 2009 03:12 AM
Technically, this is described as promotion or PR, not advertising. Advertising usually means paid placement of ads. Promotion and good press is not always free, either, though the cost is more in the time spent building relationships and placing the message. It is generally considered more effective than paid advertising, though. As people are less resistant to messages in this form.

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jabba jabba
 
March 06, 2009 03:55 AM
So this question was actually a test to see if someone would mention Twitter?

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sryanmi sryanmi
 
March 06, 2009 11:24 AM
From your latest comment you seem to be asking about word of mouth advertising. There is nothing wrong with word of mouth advertising. As djscram said earlier, that advertising usually comes from good service or quality products. Likewise it can come from bad service or poor quality. Your example of adding a resturant/business to a list of some sort is somewhat unclear. Listing it as a sponsor for example when they in fact haven't contributed is unethical and if taken too far, i.e. said company claims a deduction of some sort for their contribution, yes it could be illegal and it would be something they may "get away with." My parents own a small bowling alley and when I go to visit I will go out and do PR and advertising for them passing out flyers and such that I made. They in turn are getting free advertising and occasionaly a boost in business. I wouldn't say they are getting away with anything though. They provide a service and run a good business so people who go there are willing to promote the business. Your question is somewhat unclear, but I hope this helps answer it.
Source(s):
Parents are business owners. I always discuss positive and negative experiences I have with places I go.


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