I was sending out a few messages on LinkedIn and the repetitive nature of the task I was doing left me with no choice but the notice this Van Heusen ad. At first it was - oh! Van Heusen is advertising on LinkedIn! a few more minutes into my work and having seen every pixel on the LinkedIn screen between pages, I noticed that the ad is more than a display ad and is seeking some action, it is seeking nominations for the most fashionable professional in our network. I hadn't seen anything like this before on LinkedIn.
Brands may have attempted this in the past, when they have sponsored events and rewarded participants for the "best" whatever, but to attempt it online is quite interesting. If Van Heusen's expectations are not too high in terms of number of leads they want to generate and tolerance for quality of lead, the campaign can be an easy success.
But I am not sure though, I'm not sure professionals will give in to the "Rs 500" bait, isn't that too little to lure "professionals" to give away leads? It is possible that they will do it not for the reward but just to show mutual admiration.
From the perspective of privacy, it should be ok too. How different is this from a sales person, getting in touch via a mutual contact? It isn't clear how Van Heusen will use the nomination and the information of the person who is nominating. Will it show up in my profile? Will it email my contacts? I don't want it to, but I'm scared it might.
But there is scope for a lot of other brands to try out similar campaigns. How about nominations for people in your network who need a deodorant? or People in your network who are or are not punctual?