View all news articles >>

B to B - October 9, 2000
Copyright (c) 2000 Crain Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Flack-attack e-mail campaign a direct hit

A viral marketing campaign that allowed members of the press to log onto the Net to shoot paper airplanes at public relations executives attracted more than 18,000 visits in six weeks, according to the promoters of the site. In the game, dubbed "Whack-a-Flack," visitors chose any one of 20 top technology PR firms and sent a barrage of gliders at its "employees," who dodge the airplanes by jumping from one cubicle to the next. "Whack-a-Flack" is hosted by e-tractions Inc., which specializes in developing online games with a marketing spin. The game asked respondents to identify why they picked a particular tub-thumper for the thumping. The top answers described PR professionals as "butt-kissers," "arrogant" and "clueless," and the top firms selected were Brodeur Porter-Novelli, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, Alexander Ogilvy Public Relations, Hill & Knowlton Inc. and Burson-Marsteller, according to e-tractions.