Go Beyond fails to impress
If Ford seems bold, Go Beyond is old.
In Brand Republic's write-up of Land Rovers new Go Beyond campaign, we learn that:
The campaign is centred around a global community based forum, which will consist almost exclusively of user-generated content. Forum users will be encouraged to submit their own words, pictures and videos, which depict them "going beyond" the norm. They can upload their content via the website and from next year, via mobile as well.
LandRover said it will "embrace the web in a way no other car manufacturer has ever done before, with its "Go Beyond" campaign.
Why would anyone ever "do" this? What will motivate people to submit their own words, pictures and videos to Land Rover?
It may seem backwards, but here's the thing about community/social networks: They're only as good insofar as they deliver value to the individual.
I've said that before, but it is incredibly visible here.
On top of all that, the site's design and functionality fails to impress. The design and navigation is woeful, and several times it seemed to stop functioning all together on my screen (XP/Firefox). When I tried to look at Go Beyond TV I was told, "Sorry, Windows Media Player not detected." I'll try to go look at the videos later on IE. Even the URLs are ugly ...
Bart: Hey Homer, did you see that cool new Land Rover video on their new TV station?
Homer: No, I didn't see it Bart. Where is it?
Bart: Go to http://player.narrowstep.tv/skins/0018/nsp.aspx?player=GoBeyond
Homer: Doh!
This has been hacked together, and it shows.
If you decide to visit the site, ask yourself this question: If the concept works (it won't) and people participate en masse (they won't), how will anyone be able to navigate the site via all the zillions of little flying pictures on that lame background?
Luckily, I guess, for Land Rover, they'll never have to worry about that problem.
I'll bet the two agencies (Harrison Troughton Wunderman and RKCR/Y&R) got all hot and bothered by either social media, a client wanting to "do" social media or both. Jon Williams, interactive creative director at Harrison Troughton Wunderman, said:'Go Beyond' is without doubt the biggest and most exciting digital project we have ever undertaken. The sheer scale of the beast, both in terms of the geographical reach, and the ambition of the undertaking, is huge.
Am I missing something?
"From the film, to the user-generated content based website, to the digital radio channel, to the IPTV channel, Land Rover really are living their brand."
Living their brand. Uggh.
Technorati Tags: 2.0, social.media, advertising, landrover
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
 Comments:
George - I'm having trouble email you at the address you mention on the home page. Can you help?
# posted by kenobi : 12:47 PM, August 02, 2006
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