Is It Really RockDotRock?

This is so bad that you're either going to love it or hate it. While it appeals to my warped sense of humor, I can't say much for the lyrics or the music. But this is supposed to be rock and roll, so style means more than content. The band is RockDotRock. The sponsor is Symantec. The product is Norton Confidential.

It is interesting from a marketing standpoint...in this compressed time space continuum we live in today, no one has time for a sales pitch. So here comes viral marketing morphed into something called an adverband. With the goal of creating awareness for their sponsor through a rock and roll strategy, with the usual pre-fab-four packaging and hype machine. MP3's from an EP, Videos, and of course, an online presence, complete with a fabricated story line that incorporates a real product for sale.

The best part of this over hyped "project" is the You Think You Know Rock? Contest. You have to identify well known rock stars by their stage moves to win, but it's easier than you think. I got 4 out of 6!

The writing is simply awful. It's obvious it's done by a marketing agency, whose sole purpose is to shamelessly promote Symantec's Norton Confidential software. At least Spinal Tap had original parody ideas, and their song and album titles were funny. And their videos were hysterical. RockDotRock is more like a bad 80's hair band that's sold out to the big bad corporate world. Sounds perfect for TV.

So don't take it too seriously. But it does make us wonder which direction this might take off on. It sure gives a new definition to the term "viral marketing." But what else would you expect from an anti-virus and online security company?

Video “Is It Really You (I'’m Talkin To?)

MP3's from their Confidential EP:
“Mr. Software”
Non-Traditional Two Factor Authentication
“Beyond Your Machine
“Is It Really You (I'm Talking To?)
You Are You

Online @ www.rockdotrock.com
MySpace @ www.myspace.com/rockdotrock

Actually, I did something like this years ago, only my idea was a Metallica-clone-thrash-metal band called NTLinka (pronounced Net-Linka) that was hired by Microsoft to promote the (new at the time) Windows NT. Their "hit" song was "So NT You" with the flip single "Dock The Taskbar." Hey, it was just for fun. Not to be taken seriously. Think spoof and parody. It sure worked for Weird Al.

Related Tags: Music, Rock and Roll, Classic Rock, RockDotRock, Symantec, Norton Confidential, Spinal Tap, CybersMusic

Posted by Mike