On Madison Ave, Web 2.0 Is All About Mom

Back in July, the Goddess presented Social Media WannaBe Awards that recognized ads creatively making reference to social media. Let's simply call today's honors "Mad Ads:Web 2.0." These pitches aren't selling computers or mobile phones, but Web 2.0 is a key part of the seller's message.

Only 2 winners today, and both have created messaging involving Moms. Ah, the holidays.

Our first winner is Lowe's. Mom totes her laptop around the house to show her daughter --via webcam-- all the Christmasing going on. I love that Mom is clearly over 40, too.


Winner #2 and still champeen: Kleenex. Perhaps you've seen the TV spot but ignored the pitch for the website. The spot is nothing. The website is all. And hilarious.

Kleexex "Get Mommed" campaign offers 8 virtual moms (including 1 Black, 1 Hispanic and 1 Asian, if you're tracking). The actresses embody standard archetypes: arts & crafts & cookie-baking Mom; wound-too-tight prim & proper Mom; you can do no wrong Mom...you get the idea. They've each obviously been trained to make repeated arm and hand motions to reinforce the 3D effect of walking to "talk directly to me".

If you can't figure out which type of Mom you want, the program will pick one for you from your answers to a short quiz. For me, it chose Magnolia, a sweet woman who says she's a Southern girl and thinks I'm as "cute as a speckled puppy."

Kleenex's Moms evolved from fears about the H1N1 virus. Who do you want around when you're sick or scared? Your mommy!

AdAge reports that 30 days after the campaign kicked off in September, responses were already 300% above the company's expectations. Subtract a few nastygrams, and most comments to the website, on Twitter and the Moms' Facebook page have been positive. Who's surprised that "Best Friend Mom" is one of the most popular?

Once you register at the site, your Mom will send you e-mail, texts, phone audio or Facebook messages. You select whether Mom's notes are motivational or offering advice or just telling you to wear boots because it's going to rain.

You might remember Kleenex's previous outta-da-box campaign where people sat on a couch in the middle of the sidewalk and told personal stories that made them cry...and use a Kleenex.

This campaign's better. You can make your Mom stop talking just by clicking on"Mute".