Case Study: Viral marketing campaign

The Challenge:
IBM, the world’s largest IT company and the leader in computer servers that are the backbone of client’s networks, was ready to launch the industry’s first server designed and built specifically to run only the Linux operating system.

They needed to create buzz and ultimately build loyalty within the Linux community to drive more applications for the platform and to drive adoption of this new line of servers, named “OpenPower”. Given the skepticism of the Linux community to be ‘marketed to’, the strategy developed and supporting tactics needed to create credibility for IBM and OpenPower servers specifically as a development platform and also as a viable choice for building out the network.

The Solution:
Put OpenPower into the hands of the community and let them build advocacy through experience. IBM launched “The OpenPower Project”, an online site that allowed Linux developers and enthusiasts a chance to test-drive OpenPower servers virtually.

To create instant interest with the community, the site was launched with guerilla marketing events at movie premiers for War of the Worlds in New York, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sao Paolo, London and Frankfurt. Invitations were distributed by Linux newsgroups online and viral marketing techniques using discussion threads on local Linux newsgroup sites in each country.

The Results:
All of the premier events were oversubscribed. The OpenPower Project site received over a half million unique visitors during the first two months and over 5,000 Linux developers signed up to be participants in The Project. OpenPower launched to great fanfare with the Linux Community and produced over $100 million in revenue its first year.

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