In the past year, game shows have experienced a resurgence not seen since the 1970's. And the one thing they've all got in common is a Web version of the show to help maintain viewer loyalty. So far it seems the Web is succeeding as an interactive medium, though it is largely based in text and flat images. And though the promise of rich media is to enhance this experience through more features and graphics, this promise has only been delivered in fits and starts. Now it seems the creators of virtual communities want to change all that, starting with event marketing.
Any experienced marketer knows that strong branding happens through an emotional attachment.
Hearing a familiar jingle or a person's voice describe a product does the trick. So far, companies have done little in the way of audio marketing on the Web, mostly due to technological constraints and inexperience with applying sound to a site. But recently some companies have been implementing more sound on their sites to aid customer service and increase the overall brand experience. The answers are as varied as they are mired in more questions. There are some that seem the feel rich media applications and services may somehow offer an opportunity to brand on the Web.