New TV series "Scarlet" a hoax; Marketing gimic by LG electronics

The flat screen television business has become intensely competitive with manufacturers like Sony, Toshiba, Pioneer, Samsung and LG fighting bitter battles to increase marketshare.

Price has become the primary purchase decision driver among consumers who find it difficult to assess the much ballyhooed point of technical difference between products and brands.

Most brands are relying on their existing reputations and image to [hopefully] entice consumers to their products.

To break away from the fray and attempt to distinguish itself from all other brands, LG took a long shot. The South Korean electronics company created a phony new television series trailer for a TV pilot called "Scarlett". The shows action-packed promotional footage made it seem like the series would be a version of the poorly received re-make of the Bionic Woman.

In reality the trailer is a TV commercial teaser for what will be a new line of flat screen televisions to be called "Scarlett"; the sets will be distinguished by having red back panels.

LG and its agency, Agency.com, carried out the hoax in grand style. They had private screening parties and had the stars appear at important Hollywood red-carpets and at New York fashion shows. They even got IMDb, the entertainment industry internet movie and tv database site to list the show as an upcoming new series.

Now the details are out--the hoax is uncovered--- and the question is will the game work?

Certainly, the effort obtained tons of free PR for LG whose marketing budgets pale by comparison with rivals Sony and Samsung. But will the PR make any difference and translate into sales?

The brand LG will get some heightened attention for sure but ultimately price will dictate purchase unless some brand comes up with something demonstrable and meaningful to consumers to entice them to pay a premium for a given brand. Further, there is information that consumers were searching the internet looking for more details about the show and many may be greatly angered by the hoax turning it into a backlash against the LG brand.

Admittedly, I saw the ads for Scarlett was briefly intrigued and drawn into the hoax. However, upon finding out it was a LG PR stunt I wasn't disappointed and I am not anymore inclined to buy an LG over a Sony....I already own one of each..... and I made my decisions strictly on price.

Watching out for you everyday.

Eli