Since we first covered the Ask Algorithm campaign May 4, IAC has committed $100 million to expanding the Crispin, Porter + Bogusky designed “viral” campaign nation wide. The original stand alone obscure references to the algorithm have been complimented with an Ask logo on billboard advertisements, a positive step forward.
However one billboard is sure to turn heads and it’s for all the wrong reasons:
Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech shooter probably hated the algorithm as well, is he on the next billboard?
What in the world is Ask thinking? What sort of warped company uses the name of a terrorist in an effort to increase market share for a search engine?
Given that the Algorithm finds Jesus you’d think the Algorithm could find sensitivity training as well.
The zany thing about the whole campaign is that Ask actually knows how to run a decent advertising campaign. The Ask ads appearing on TechCrunch through the FM Network provide compelling information and even the occasional third party product endorsement. They maintain decorum whilst building much needed product and brand awareness for a search engine that most people outside of tech haven’t even heard of. Do a straw poll of 6 non-tech/ geek friends about whether they have heard of Ask, the closest they usually can get is Ask Jeeves, and they normally add “is that still going?” Algorithms mean nothing to this group and this should be the core target market for Ask.
(photo via Search Engine Roundtable)
The campaign is so off the mark this is just another anchor on a sinking ship. Even the characters in their commercials look confused. Differentiation is key to a product’s success and utilizing a confusing concept makes Ask even less understandable. Further, even if I understood the value of the algorithm it would still be search engine trying to be everything to everyone. Why not offer a niche engine? For more thoughts on how I would market Ask.com: http://www.octopusonline.com/b.....oriti.html
Personally I think ALL OF YOU have GOT IT WRONG.
Its a brilliant campaign in its honesty to its position in the market. Its called Truth in Advertising. In their case, why even try to say anything else except that they’re dead in comparison to Google. They’re playing the simpathy vote and it may just work. Based on these comments, it doesn’t seem like people are too upset with the actual Ask.com brand. They’re more upset with the ad agency that created this offensive ads. This to me is a good thing. The brand is the consumer. And the consumer is offended. Good. Now the offended consumer fights back and starts reusing the product they still believe in.
The biggest irony is that 50 people commented on this in less than 8 hours on just one blog (myself included). In Crispin and Ask’s minds, we’re doing exactly what they wanted us (the “mindless” sheep) to do: talk about it, regardless the reasons…they’re the ones laughing right now.
Marketers are more brilliant than geeks give them credit for:
Geeks = Mozilla & Linux
Marketers = Internet Explorer & Windows
I’d rather have a billion dollars in my pocket with a chaffeur than driving around a Prius knowing that I created something nifty and neat-o.
The butler was their dope-smoking, threesome-having sybaritic conscience. Since he left it’s all gone down to Crazy Town.
To be sure, there are plenty of “safe, ethical” marketing applications of killers as portrayed in the media.
Why not make sure this ISN’T one of them before we pass judgment? Check trackbacks for more.
To elaborate, an “ethical” use of a mainstream killer is NOT parading him or her — or what s/he did — to sell products. But to mention a killer in the same way we might mention a threat to national security or a problem with the pedophiles who prey on children requires a different interpretation altogether.
I point to the fact that we should be able to distinguish between the two IN THIS INSTANCE before we vote “yea or nay” on Ask’s newest campaign.
I plan to check out ask.com after reading this post. It’s working…
I first saw this earlier this month on a billboard facing the West Side Highway in Manhattan. I still can’t figure it out.
That kind of campaign will put off a few people. Surely they could have up with a better campaign.
doesn’t tech crunch have better things to write about than your opinion of and ad campaign?
I think the campaign is great. Go to Europe and watch TV and commercials over there. They are not so “stick up my ass” about everything.
You don’t like it? Fuck you.
Stupid campaign … and some of this stuff is offensive. The ad agency should be fired ASAP.
If they want to generate traffic, why not have a billboard proclaiming: “We Support Genocide” or “Auschwitz and Darfur” with a smiley face.
Ask has lost their mind. Maybe they should try to find it in their algorithm.
Why does the unabomber hate the algorithm?
The idea is that if the unabomber hates something, then we all must like it, because we are not unabombers.
“Techcrunch hates the Algorithm.”
@62:
Dave, it was years ago so we’ve all forgotten. But the unabomber made media fame NOT because he sent bombs around. It’s scary, but it’s not what made him so popular.
The unabomber, or “university and airline bomber,” was a genius of sorts (Harvard undergrad, UMich Master’s and PhD) who HATED technology. More formally, he was an anarcho-primitivist.
So it follows that the unabomber would hate “the algorithm.” The implication is that the technology underpinning the Ask.com search engine is of such a scale that it would irk this world’s most famed anti-technologists.
And if someone were so compelled as to search Ask.com for “unabomber,” they would find his manifesto and in an instant understand the billboard’s meaning.
I elaborate at the Ch4tter blog. Find it in the trackbacks.
“…Al-go-rhy-thm” ugh what’s that. this sort of reminds me of the idiotic signs on CA hwys “clickit or tickit!”
Amusing how you attempt to cover your ass with the “compelling” stuff. Don’t want to upset the advertisers too much
Wake me up when they spend a comparable amount to improve their shitty product.
I think the idea here is to get people asking questions “what’s an algorithm?”, “why does the unabomber hate algorithm?”, “what was the story about unabomber anyway?”. And of course you talk with your friends about it and go to Ask.com to find out.
The unabomber was an insurgent, not a terrorist. Wake up, man!
Totally stupid ad. I saw the Jesus one in New York and had no idea what the product was…learned about it at TC…very poor. Duncan’s stock is going up in my eyes.
Hey Duncan,
The answer lies in your post…why did you cover it?! Well coz it piqued your interest…that’s what advertsing is all about, nobody cares if you understand it or not
Oddly enough I’ve never heard of the Unabomber (before my time I guess). So I Googled the word.
Opps my bad! I should have used Ask.com, but since I didn’t get that they were a search engine from the billboard, why would I?
Smarter advert execs would have followed this path (using the same example as above)
Who was the Unabomber? ask.com
What does a Sumatran Tiger look like? ask.com
Where can I see footage of the Moon landing? ask.com
you get the idea (I hope!)