Team: Chloé Becker, Virginie Bouillet

Maybe you thought like the majority that this video was an authentic one. Perhaps you though that these guys were able to pass-by the security system of the air force one. Even the president Bush didn’t know immediately if it was him plane or not. Even the Air Force One checked their planes because it looks very real.

I can tell you now: yes, it is a hoax. But a really good one isn’t it? No one tagged the Air Force One flight. But a lot of watchers thought it. This story grown and other media took it up. This video was also broadcasted during the television news. It was a smashed process and everybody talked about it. It was precisely the aim of the company. This company is actually a clothes’ brand. It has created a rumor to make people speak about its brand. This technique is called a “buzz” in marketing.

The idea comes originally from an employee at the New York fashion company named Marc Ecko. He had disclosed how the company made the film. It rented a Boeing 747 and painted it like the plane of the USA’s president. He wanted to set up a striking movie for the pop-culture. Indeed, this video is worrying about the security at the highest level. People wondered if it was possible to do it and were amazed.

But this movie has another message more linked with the brand’s world itself: our clothes make you able to do huge things and bring you a complete freedom. They make you powerful and unbeatable. Can you imagine a better image for a brand? This ad was strong also because all is coherent with the brand’s universe. The film present young people dressed with Still Free’s clothes. Their action is close to the imagination of the youth: doing extraordinary free things. It allows them to dream and it is very important to attract young consumers.

But once again, this video is an ad. It is clear that it marked the mind of people. The fact to make people think and doubt about something keep their interests, it is known. It is also true that a classical ad has not this power. But do you think that it is a sufficient reason to lie us?

At first, in February 2004, 30 000 opinion’s leaders received an e-mail. This e-mail disclosed only the main information: why 32 inhabitants of a small Swedish village (Dalarö) bought the same car (Volvo S40) the same day? The aim was creating an e-mail chain to spread the information. The e-mail had a link towards de Volvo’s website because another goal of the campaign was increase the visitor’s number.

Second, the “classical” advertising program took the relay. They broadcasted some “teasers” in the newspapers, on TV, on the radio… All these media had the aim to attract the consumer to the Volvo’s website where they could see these video:

A teaser is a message without signature that the consumer is not able to understand at first. It has like aim to catch the attention because the consumer doesn’t understand. He tries to understand and in this way he is more involved. Later, a second message will come and explain the first. The second message is signed otherwise the ad has no impact. The two messages can be in the same ad or not. You can see below an example with the two messages in the same ad:

After had aroused the interest of the consumer with a 360° campaign, Volvo signed at least their ads. The mystery became no more a new item but an ad. Don’t you feel fool? Or do you think that is original and fun for the consumer?