Online advertising was classified into banner or display advertisements, classified advertisements and search advertisements. Online advertising emphasized on consumer cocreation, social affiliation, digital self expression and sharing. The objective of UnME jeans was to do less “talking at” and more “talking with” the consumers. From the many online advertising platforms, Foley chose to lead with the following: ZwinkTopia: This medium focused on digital self expression in that it allowed people to express their identities online by creating digital representations of themselves called Avatars.
ZwinkTopia’s main target market was girls aged 13 to 24 and the focus of the site was on music and fashion. As an advertising strategy, with every special edition line of jeans that was released, UnME launched a virtual version of it to generate an online buzz of the product. This provided an online experience for the consumers to embody the brand’s aura. Zwinkies, as the avatars were called, would be allowed to show their creativity by designing their own virtual UnME jeans which, if selected, would be launched in the real world. This platform proved to be a great advertising medium as it triggered active participation of consumers who promoted the brand within their network. The risk in this type of advertising is lack of control.
UnME will not have governance over the content into which the advertising will be inserted.
This advertising platform can prove to be messy as it is highly likely that one may see a barechested, rabbit headed avatar trolling for adultthemed