Whoever is behind the "That Girl Emily" viral marketing campaign must have a budget of near zero. Not only are they using blogspot, a free blogging service, now they are using You Tube to host supposed video of "Laura and Steven."
They don't pay much for the locations of their videos either.
Watch the video closely. Forget the fact that this guy is supposedly playing kissy face on a public street where someone he knows might see him. Forget the fact they get excellent video quality from under a table... Pay attention to the hotel. The cleverly block the name but they left too many clues. Notice the address on the side of the building. (113) Notice the red paint. Notice the green awning. And notice the 4 columns, 2 on either side of the entrance.
I managed to find the hotel this up and coming financial stud was supposedly going to impress his mistress. It's the Hotel Riverview in Greenwich Village. Its Price List has rooms starting at 30 bucks a night. In New York. Of course that's with no TV. If you want a TV in the room they charge extra.
Here are a few reviews:
Riverview Hotel, 113 Jane [Washington/West] 212.929.0060. The sorriest of the more than 250 hotels we have visited in New York. Guest room floors look like a prison. Rooms are small, barren, and awful. The bathrooms smell of urine and mildew. In one of them, a homeless person is cleaning himself up at the sink. He deserves better. LINK
And my Favorite:
"Don't be mislead by the promise of its name. Unfortunately, young European backpackers and other assorted tourists on a very strict budget will be attracted by the rock bottom rates, unaware that the property's front door is actually the portal to hell on earth. Roach-ridden rooms are just large enough to fit a cot with threadbare linens, small dresser with cableless TV, and a naked light bulb. The shared baths are beyond filthy and potentially dangerous, considering the basic clientele here - two-bit hookers, junkies, and the mentally challenged (in a very, very bad way). Designated as an SRO, which means the city uses vacant rooms to house the homeless in winter months. The staff is exactly what you'd expect to find in this flea-infested firetrap, which could easily serve as the setting for a 'Law & Order' episode where an unsuspecting tourist is found bludgeoned to death in a dark stairwell.LINK
And this the hotel that "Emily" could only dream he'd take her one day?
If you'd like to see the proof that I'm on the right hotel, go back and notice all things I told you to notice in the video then look at this picture especially this one. You can even see the green awning and the white columns.
I really hope whoever is behind this isn't a big name. So far it looks like they've spent about 100 bucks on the whole campaign. Sadly for them, it shows.
Background On "Emily"
The Curious Case Of That Girl Emily [Wizbang]
Hell Hath No Fury Like A Woman Scorned [Wizbang Pop!]
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Comments (19)
Sorry, but can someone brin... (Below threshold)1. Posted by James Cloninger | July 20, 2006 12:26 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Sorry, but can someone bring me up to speed on this "Emily" thing, and why I'm supposed to give a damn?
1. Posted by James Cloninger | July 20, 2006 12:26 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 00:26
2. Posted by TC@LeatherPenguin | July 20, 2006 1:59 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yeah, that's the Riverview, and it's so big a dump that the Chelsea laughs at its ass.
2. Posted by TC@LeatherPenguin | July 20, 2006 1:59 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 01:59
3. Posted by Headzero | July 20, 2006 3:03 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Boo-f'ing-yaa
I can't wait to see what big marketing firm is behind this and watch them get dragged through the gutter for not making it believeable.
Watch it again - and just look at the way they act - it's obviopus that they don't really 'know' each other. Playing smootchy face for the camera is much different than the way couples act - even if one is not trustworthy.
Bust-ed.
3. Posted by Headzero | July 20, 2006 3:03 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 03:03
4. Posted by cate s. | July 20, 2006 3:48 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
yeah, it defintely looks like they just met two seconds ago. Is this supposed to be like that Tasters Choice commercial that ran like 10 years ago where this could be an ad for a divorce lawyer?
4. Posted by cate s. | July 20, 2006 3:48 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 03:48
5. Posted by crosspatch | July 20, 2006 4:08 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If the whole thing is built around making it look like it is a normal, average, everyday person doing this, they would have to use those outlets. Otherwise it would be immediately obvious what it is and for some reason, they don't want it to be immediately obvious.
5. Posted by crosspatch | July 20, 2006 4:08 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 04:08
6. Posted by jpm100 | July 20, 2006 6:23 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If the saying, "The only bad press is no press" is true, then this accomplished its mission.
6. Posted by jpm100 | July 20, 2006 6:23 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 06:23
7. Posted by Mark L. | July 20, 2006 9:04 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
And this is worth spending time on because . . . .?
7. Posted by Mark L. | July 20, 2006 9:04 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 09:04
8. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 9:16 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mark, have you ever worked a puzzel?
Some knucklehead in NYC posts a video nearly devoid of geographical clues and some guy 1000 miles away figures out where it was shot using google and a little brain power.
Beats a rubick's cube in my book.
P
8. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 9:16 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 09:16
9. Posted by CUS | July 20, 2006 11:45 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Now we know what happened to Monica's blue dress.
9. Posted by CUS | July 20, 2006 11:45 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 11:45
10. Posted by Jeff Medcalf | July 20, 2006 12:32 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
OK, I don't get it. Why are you giving them so much attention?
10. Posted by Jeff Medcalf | July 20, 2006 12:32 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 12:32
11. Posted by Mark L | July 20, 2006 1:04 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Paul:
I am an engineer, so it's safe to say I work puzzles for a living.
But there are puzzles and there are puzzles. Part of being an engineer is seeing what puzzles are worth solving and what are just a waste of time, or even counterproductive. If the two people in the video were terrorists planning to blow up the remaining levees in N.O., and you are trying to track them down, then figuring out where they are is an impressive feat. If the two are part of a third-rate, low-budget movie seeking free publicity, solving the puzzle becomes more akin to attempting to quench a fire by dumping gasoline on it. It encourages more of the behavior you wish to see stopped.
11. Posted by Mark L | July 20, 2006 1:04 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 13:04
12. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 3:01 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
geeze Mark... So deep.
It keeps me off the streets ok??? lol
12. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 3:01 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 15:01
13. Posted by Candy | July 20, 2006 5:53 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
If it keeps Paul off the streets, I'm all for it :)
13. Posted by Candy | July 20, 2006 5:53 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 17:53
14. Posted by Tuning Spork | July 20, 2006 7:08 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well, I for one find it interesting. I like to solve a mystery just to solve it, too, even if the solution doesn't amount to a hill o'beans.
That's some mighty fine sleuthing, Paul.
14. Posted by Tuning Spork | July 20, 2006 7:08 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 19:08
15. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 9:31 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Thanks Tuning Spork, the check is in the mail.
15. Posted by Paul | July 20, 2006 9:31 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 20, 2006 21:31
16. Posted by Dang | July 22, 2006 7:58 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I bet this will be a TV show soon. There are billboards of that girl Emily bashing her "soon-to-be-ex-husband" all over the streets. At the very bottom of the billboard says CBS.
16. Posted by Dang | July 22, 2006 7:58 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 22, 2006 07:58
17. Posted by Stu | July 22, 2006 10:41 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Well that doesn't mean anything. For every billboard, there's someone who owns it, and they put their name on it. ClearChannel owns a buttload of billboards, and they all say ClearChannel on them. It doesn't mean it's a CBS TV show-- but it could be.
17. Posted by Stu | July 22, 2006 10:41 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 22, 2006 10:41
18. Posted by BilbongBaggins | July 27, 2006 7:36 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I cant wait to see what they're selling so that I can promptly go out and never EVER buy it......
18. Posted by BilbongBaggins | July 27, 2006 7:36 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 27, 2006 07:36
19. Posted by JustAnotherFace | July 30, 2006 3:06 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I don't care that it's a marketing skeem, that part doesn't bother me, but it does set a bad precident for the future as far as google hosting sites that depict "stalking and harrassment". Maybe it's gonna come back around full circle and the last of the 14 days Steven sues the shit out of google for hosting it, since hosting is condoning. Now that would be classic.
19. Posted by JustAnotherFace | July 30, 2006 3:06 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on July 30, 2006 15:06