Here’s a great example of some creative blogger outreach by UK vitamin supplement company, Berocca. You may have read in the New York Times blogging is apparently bad for your health, so what better way to create an online buzz about a product than to provide something which could help the very people that can spread the word.
The Berocca website has a dedicated page where you can sign up for a ‘Blogger Relief Pack’ which includes:
* Stress ball
* USB stress button
* Bubble wrap keyring
* Dead Fred pen holder
* Pack of Berocca
A very good idea me thinks. I’ve signed up for a Relief Pack, although it seems there are no guarantees of receiving one and reading the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) they’re only giving the pack away to the first 50 applications. Another caveat in the T&Cs is that they may use my details for future marketing activity and potentially share them with third parties in relation to Bayer plc, the company behind Berocca.
I don’t fancy receiving spam if I’m honest but by the looks of things they’re planning on including links to blogs that feature the product so they’re obviously monitoring what’s being said.
In which case no spam please Borocca. 
Found via Kieron Donoghue.
Stephen is a communications consultant based out of the UK. You can connect with him on Twitter or check out his LinkedIn profile. | Email Stephen
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Sandrine
Oh, there was only 50 packs available on the first ask first serve basis… I guess I won’t be receiving my pack then ;o(
But great campaign though !!!
Valerie Crawford
I was shocked to hear that Berocca are now using Aspartame instead of sugar. What are they thinking of? Using a poisonous substance is supposed to be better for our health than a natural substance eg sxugar?????? Which big multi national is behind this move. I will no longer buy Berocca – I used to frequently. My family and friends also feel strongly about this as well.
Change it back please.
Darika
I get what you’re saying but those are pretty standard T&Cs in reality, don’t you think?
Stephen
Mmm, what are standard terms and conditions?
To me it’s like saying, “Okay we’ll do some blogger outreach, try to create a bit of buzz online, and for everyone that signs up and gives us their house address we’ll send them some direct mail.”
The goal of blogger outreach isn’t to get an Excel sheet full of names and addresses IMHO.
Chris Norton
Interesting post Stephen – I would be interested to hear whether you do get spammed as from what I can tell they haven’t been monitoring blog coverage very closely. Our friend Simon C has had a computer generated email back from his application even though I read a post from him on this topic about two weeks ago. Let’s hope they pick their monitoring skills up a bit.