Greg Biffle and Jamie McMurray are popular figures around the NASCAR circuit.  They probably never expected to be on the cutting edge of interactive digital advertising, though.  However, a good sense of humor and a bit of Oddcast technology have propelled them where few sponsors have dared to tread before in our first NASCAR related application – www.mowtormail.com – for Yardman, an outdoor equipment company.

Usually, most brands that are represented by spokespeople or characters closely associated with the brand image are hesitant to let users take full control of their characters.  They spend months, even years, cultivating an image based around a personality, and they cringe at the thought of letting users put words in the mouth of their own mouthpiece.

The message that sends to consumers can be, "We want you to buy our stuff, but we don't trust you all that much."

So when a brand fully embraces its customers online, it makes for a differentiated and much more entertaining experience.  In the viral Mowtormail campaign, users can actually add their own voice to Greg and Jamie, among other colorful characters, and get him to say just about whatever they want.

What would your consumers say if they got to put words in the mouth of your spokesperson, mascot, or hey, even the CEO?  One thing is certain:  In a world of scarce attention, the brands willing to go that extra step to associate themselves and build a relationship with their users are going to get a lot of attention.  Gentleman, start your mowers!