The term might have been around for at least a month (a century in web 2.0 speak it seems), but it still makes me laugh. A FLOG is a fake blog, put up by brands and their clever PR/marketing/digital agencies who have convinced themselves in some brainstorm that people won’t find out that the blog is a fake.
Be ready to see 2007 become the Year of the Flog.
Sony authorised a fake blog called alliwantforxmasisapsp.com, run by Zipatoni Marketing on their behalf. It was all about hip-hop artist Charlie whose cousin Pete wanted a PSP. It went live at end November 2006; it got found out by mid December.
“Guess we were trying to be a little too clever” said a Sony spokesperson.
Why did it get found out? For one, it seems the language was not quite street (a little too Ali G perhaps?). Also words such as ‘viral’, ‘advertising’ and ‘campaign’ were blocked out.
Any lessons for brands?
Fake is not good for business when it involves others profiting from your brand (watches, CDs, DVDs, bags et al). In the blogosphere, brands that Fake it will be found out, which will ultimately harm their reputation and their bottom line.
In my books, the only Fake that is great is fur.
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