Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Alastair Duncan — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:29:46 GMT

Nice ad on your blog Karl. It's worth reading the article in Revolution from a month back where the Orange marketers talk about their strategy. it shows good understanding of bought media, but we need to think about what we could call 'sought' media as well when launching a brand or activity that tries to take a generic territory as its own. Orange have always been good at that. A top example now getting content 'out there that links itself' is the Skins work done by Channel 4.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Karl Havard — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:53:44 GMT

Alastair, thanks for pointing me at this thread.

Could someone knock up a spoof ad' for Dale Winton or David Dickenson? It could be quite amusing for I am...err....orange.

I've created one for Orange themselves just to highlight their digital marketing deployment skills. It's on my blog should anyone care to look.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Alastair Duncan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:39:44 GMT

I thought I'd check my facts again on what the actual payoff line is on the ads. On the posters it says "Search for I am" not search for I am everyone. Spray tan it is.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Nathaniel Hill — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:43:26 GMT

Will everyone remember exactly that link? What if you typed I am Orange and ended up at this - possibly more interesting - site

i-am-orange.blogspot.com

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Natasha Langton — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:43:19 GMT

When I tried searching for "I am everyone" on Google I got a sponsored link and then Orange was 1, 3 & 4 on the natural listings.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Simon Banoub — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:42:57 GMT

Their strategy seems really confused to me. I like the "I am" stuff more than the animals branding and campaigns, but it still feels like a company that has several different marketing teams all competing with each other to be heard, and with no central theme.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Alastair Duncan — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:46:02 GMT

Fair point - I just did that too to check, and most of the links go to the TV commercial on youtube rather than consumer information about why Orange might be somehow useful to me. My point was about online buzz, which currently has Messenger winning hands down, if frequency of links in search is a measure.

re: Death of the URL? Only if you've cracked natural search, mate.

Laurel Collier — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:15:39 GMT

When searching for "I am everyone" on Google, there are 5 Orange-related links in natural search on page one - including the first going to www.i-am-everyone.co.uk. It's only when typing in "I am" that they aren't showing up...