How Not To Build An Online Community???:
Toyota’s MySpace Clone – It’s not just Disney.com that’s getting accused of trying to build a MySpace clone – Toyota rolled out a social network for Hybrid users yesterday that’s attracting the same comparisons. In truth, there aren’t many similarities – Toyota has created a mini-site, using 100% Flash, that lets you create a profile and add your age group, vehicle color and reasons why you drive a hybrid. It feels more like a marketing effort than an attempt to build something for the long term, and this will likely close down fairly soon, just like Walmart’s School Your Way.
From Mashable – and I couldn’t agree more. What on earth were Saatchi & Saatchi thinking? I mean, Flash? FFS fellas, go read Gonzo Marketing by Christopher Locke (ClueTrain Manifesto guy?) – the chapter on how Ford could create a great online community around gardening! ….flash?!? Flash is ok in bits and pieces, maybe for a game or or some little thing, but a whole social networking site? o.O