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Sony-Ericsson Starts US$5M Astroturf Campaign

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the whoops-I-seem-to-have-spilled-my-drink-on-you dept.

lairdb writes "The WSJ reports today (31Jul02) that Sony Ericsson will be marketing their new T68i cellphone/camera combo unit via "shills" to create a grassroots buzz. Specific tactics will include fake tourist couples at popular attractions asking bystanders to take their picture, and "leaners": pairs of women ("actresses and female models") at bars playing interactive Battleship with each other from opposite ends of the bar. "[T]he company has gone to considerable lengths to train it's actors to avoid detection [as Ericsson spokespeople.]""

1 of 452 comments (clear)

  1. Phonies by Lucas+Membrane · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    America is an entire country of phonies. We have a war on terror, which we win by putting flags on our cars. We have a President who was a phony 'successful' businessman. We have people who call me just about every day who say they are calling for AT&T but who really work for AT&T competitors who are trying to mislead me into giving them my phone business. And now we've got this, walking adverts who deny it. We deserve Enron, Global Crossing, Worldcom and all the rest of that crap. We deserve to not know what's what, who's who, or who's screwing us without benefit of intercourse until it's too late. We deserve a stock market that eats our savings. Don't ask Congress to fix it. They are just as phony as the people who elected them. We've got what we deserve. Now we suffer. Enjoy it.