DID NETSCAPE 'RIP OFF' HOSTWAY'S CUBICLE?
Amazing what strike's you as 'funny' on the Friday before a long weekend....suddenly 'cubicle-itis' is in the news. Definition "cubicle-itis" --a virus spread cubicle to cubicle by techies who live in cubicles, make viral marketing about cubicles and claim that others rip off their 'cubicle' concept prompting viral combat. This afternoon PR Newswire spews out a release headlining: Ripped Off: Hostway Finds Its Viral Marketing Campaign Has 'Spread' to Netscape -- well here's an excerpt --is there a doctor in the house who can tell me what's up?
Netscape allegedly plagiarizes Hostway's latest online promotion
CHICAGO, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Viral marketing is supposed to spread a
company's message from consumer to consumer. But Web hosting leader
Hostway.com claims it has found a well-known Internet company copying its
popular viral promotion, "Bob's Cube," in an apparent case of online
plagiarism.
Hostway said it found striking similarities between its BobsCube.com
(launched on April 1, 2005), a lighthearted interactive visit to a typical
office worker's cubicle, and Netscape's "The Cubicle" (launched on May 27,
2005). Designed by http://www.15letters.com , Hostway's Bob's Cube has averaged nearly 10,000 visits per day while receiving "Site of the Day" awards
CHECK OUT THE CUBICLES :Web site links:
* Hostway's Bob's Cube launched on April 1: http://www.bobscube.com, totally cool, you can move stuff around and mess up his desk and well..give it a try....
The release refers readers to:
* Netscape's Cubicle launched on May 27:
http://netcenter.netscape.com/netcenter/?promo=cubicle (to be honest that link took me to the netscape home page and I couldn't find the offending cubicle but believe me I didn't want to download Netscape either because who knows it might obliterate this blog as news sources say it does zap blogs? ) For the rest of their press release go to: Ripped Off: Hostway Finds Its Viral Marketing Campaign Has 'Spread ...PR Newswire .
Phone call in to Hostway: no response from PR gal.
Phone call and email into Young Isaac Inc., Columbus, Ohio -- supposedly creator of Netscape's new "cubicle" : no response as of this post. How do I know they did the campaign? Link here: SHOPTALK: How To Truly Act The Part - Yahoo! NewsIn fact, Young Isaac just broke a major viral campaign called "The Cubicle" for Netscape.
Comments