Cool ringtones blog has been exposed as another marketing ploy:

Though the blog introduces Cindy Schmelky, 15, from Wayne, Penn with a picture and a quote "I love ringtones more than life", she's really just a figurehead for those articles as various members of the company's team write them, according to Ringingphone co-owner Bob Bentz.

This is the first time (to the best of my knowledge) that a ringtone company has created a blog and though it does somewhat bring to mind Dr. Pepper / 7 Up's infamous Raging Cow blog campaign - in that who's really blogging is misleading - the content is not all self-serving, but is mixed the with some interesting articles from this industry.

That a ringtone company has a blog is a great idea. But there is no need to mislead readers into thinking the blog is written by a 15 year-old, when it's not.

I can only agree with that. It is remarkable how the traditional marketing seems to prefer buzz generated by deceit and marketing ploys rather than attempt to create it by genuine engagement.

via Doc Searls

Back to Big Blog Company