University of Tampa students create viral "odd couple" with "Paris the heiress" parody.

    /24-7PressRelease/ - TAMPA, FL, November 22, 2006 - Viral campaigns are often humorous messages in a flash movie format that people forward via e-mail and share because of interesting, entertaining and even controversial content; they are often sponsored by a brand, which is looking to build awareness.
"As a young company, Oddpodz had limited budget for advertising, so we went where the ideas were big and the price tag affordable—our local college campus," explained Post. According to a study from Jupiter Research, 20% of all marketers, "plan to use viral marketing" next year. A strong on-line campaign can bring millions of eyeballs to a company, quickly and on a global scale.

With the help of award winning multimedia/communication professor Juliet Davis, the project started in May 2006 with student focus groups. Concepts for the brand and product offerings were presented to two classes. The feedback was used to tweak and evolve the company's early ideas. When the company launched in July it regrouped with the students to collaboratively produce an attention-getting viral campaign.

"We wanted a hip and fun story that was consistent with the Oddpodz brand (creative and quirky) and something that would introduce Zo," explained Professor Davis. Zo is the company's first branded character and the symbol of oddity and independence. He's part human, part alien, part duck and full of creative attitude. After several brainstorm sessions with the students and the company, ideas emerged for an "Oddimeter" that gauges the degree of one's oddness, along with an "Odd couple" encounter with Paris Hilton and Zo. The minute and half flick plays out when Zo (the odd one), has a dream and meets Paris (the mainstream one) at a club. From there the evening unfolds. The parody pokes fun at Paris's vapid behavior, her dog Tinkerbell and her pedestrian style.



The ending is a call to action. Zo proclaims, "yeah I'm odd, but Paris Hilton is a bad nightmare". The viewer is asked "get me out of here" and drives them to check out the web site.

Project elements involved include: research, illustration, flash animation, scripting, voiceovers and programming from a team of communication students and their professor. The Zo voice was performed by Murv Seymour, a national comedian who resides in Tampa, and post-production and sound design was directed by Progressive Media and Music in Tampa.

Oddpodz.com is a global nation that appeals to right-brainers, non-conformists, and creative people. The company currently offers: an on-line community, a line of creative T-shirts called Odditeaz, a blog, an expanding marketplace, content on diverse subjects ranging from featured change agents and creative resources to a section called "vent" where members can post anything from confessions to annoying situations. The site also publishes a weekly ezine called Openeyez covering current news, books and odd, but interesting things. The site's social network is under construction and will launch in mid December. When complete, visitors will be able to post, market and sell their creative work, meet and converse with other creatives, and view creative projects from around the world.

Oddpodz.com is a global nation that appeals to right-brainers, non-conformists, and creative people.

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