Unique cross-media viral campaign

This is one of the most innovative campaigns I have come across recently. GM/Opel Benelux introduced the new Astra TwinTop convertible with a very clever combination of email marketing, webvideo, telemarketing and all with a viral push.

80,000 subscribers to Opel's email newsletter were encouraged via a link to sign up for a surprise event. Consumers were asked to provide their first and last names and mobile telephone number. Those who got this far were later sent an email with a link to a 1-minute video with an R&D type guy named Windaloopie.

So far not so surprising, but here comes something unique as far as I know:

In the video, two characters were put through a hair wind test that involved having to stand behind a jet engine. Then, the camera turned to Windaloopie, who checked off their names and moved to the next name on his list: the email participant (that's right, you see your own name on the test list as you watch the video!)

Then, Windaloopie dialed a number as the system triggered a prerecorded telemarketing call to the participant. If he or she answered, they heard Windaloopie ask whether their hair could withstand the wind in an Astra TwinTop. A similar message was left if the call went to voice mail.

The system had tracking devices that could tell if participants were likely to be watching the video but not answering their phones. In those cases, the video played a scene in which Windaloopie held up a sign telling viewers to get their phones and push the video replay button so the professor could call.

And then at the end of the video was a familiar option to forward the film to friends, but again with a twist. The user was asked to also input the friend's name and phone number which were then automatically put into the system - film and automated telephone call.

And the results?

Of the 80,000 consumers who received the teaser email, 15,000 accepted and played the video. The viral aspect kicked in almost immediately, as the telecenter was making as many as 900 to 1,200 calls an hour during the first few days of the campaign.

The numbers slowly dissipated until the campaign ended in late July, with approximately 454,000 receiving a voice message from Windaloopie.

Additionally, eight weeks after the campaign was launched, the Web sites http://www.prepareyourhair.be  and http://www.prepareyourhair.nl had received 2 million unique visitors, and 12,000 names had been opted in for the monthly newsletters.

I don't know about you, but I find the campaign very clever and unique. In either case, the results speak for themselves.