Easy Value: The last few bits (a lesson from Terry Tate & Microsoft)

I'm generally inclined to get the 80% of the value from something and move on. I'm a starter - I'm happy (and I'd like think good) at blazing a new trail and then finding someone to carry the new process/technology/project on into maintenance. These people maintain the status quo: often improving process and garnering more value, taking 1-2% bites.

The above video is one of the Tarry Tate office linebacker videos. I remember first seeing them in the SuperBowl. I have visited a new client and had them show me that video because they thought it was so funny. Many people know this series of ads and enjoys it.

And yet, Reebok isn't getting as much out of it as they could. The YouTube comments note that the link spits back a 404 (noted also by Seth Godin as a missed opportunity). This is basically like them having an ad in the newspaper that says "visit our store on the corner of main & 4th" and then, when you get there - you find it's a Starbucks and there is a sign hanging in the window:


The video above has almost 1 million views. There are potentially almost 1 million people who might click on that link. Or, to put it another way, that would cost you $2000 on Facebook to put flyers - put just for people who said "Terry Tate Office Linebacker" or "Reebok" on their profile pages (can you do that with Facebook?).

There are corporate videos wishing to get more views. People have sprung up to take their money and get videos more views. Why? For the same reason they pay to have ads on TV: they are paying to get their message in front of people - who will hopefully buy. Simple right? You get your ad in front of people and then you give them an action to do: one that makes you money. Except, since this ad is old, the link doesn't make them any money.

So, when you have a video that is just spinning off views years after you spent the money and expected anything. You've forgotten about it and someone dug it up and put it on YouTube and people are responding. In such a case, you should understand the potential value there: people are listening to you and are open to your message and have told you that they are interested in hearing more.

As a stopgap, Reebok should make that page alive again (currently it's a "404" or "Huh? I don't know what that page is. I don't know what Reebok's advertising budget is, but the $50 it would cost to get someone to make that page redirect to Wikipedia's page on Terry Tate (acknowledge the users goal) would be a non-ideal, but really easy start. I'd hope that some IT guy at Reebok would see that people were visiting that link and notice and do that.

(Homage) Or, they could build a proper page: "Welcome here, here are all the collected videos - in higher quality than YouTube. And here is some background information (like Wikipedia has, but maybe some insider stuff)." Maybe they do a couple of interviews with actors or creators - like DVD-style behind-the-scenes extras.

(Sequel) Or, they could create a new set of ads or at least internet-only videos that continue or expand this - but that's risky it might not fair well. It could work really well if it were done well and used new characters or introduced some new spin.

Many corporations wish they could get this kind of attention - Reebok is squandering it.

What to do
This isn't just another rant about what corporations could be doing to maximize the efforts they are expending. I spent part of my day at work today setting up our blogs. We're revamping our website and introducing blogs. I setup the tool at it's location www.example.com/blogs.

I also tried to be a little more clever and learn from my friends at Microsoft.com and setup blogs.example.com, blog.example.com, and www.example.com/blog to all redirect to the "official" www.example.com/blogs location.

Aside: Why do I mention microsoft.com? I have noticed that they spend a little extra time to do this. Go to microsoft.com and click on the right (or wherever the link is when you get there) for "Office." You go to office.microsoft.com (/en.../blah...) - at the time of this writing. Ok, what if, instead of starting at www.microsoft.com and finding the link you guessed. Say: www.microsoft.com/office. Very clever. Or, if you were in Canada, like I am, you might try www.microsoft.ca/office and you'd happily find that it took you to office.microsoft.com/CANADA (or the equivalent). Note: they did stop somewhere: of you try office.microsoft.ca - nothing. Hear that Microsoft? And it's not just office: download.microsoft.com, www.microsoft.com/support, and there are more.

It's not that much work but you'd be surprised how few websites do it. Or maybe you wouldn't - but I often guess at a domain (see Microsoft example above) and am joyful when I am rewarded. It's like playing a little game: "I'm thinking of a location... hey! you thought of the same location."

It often costs 80% of the money to get 80% of the value. It might cost another 1-2% of the money to get 5-10% more value. And that 5-10% might get you just the part that your audience is looking for.