Windorphins
You may have noticed some colourful outdoor ads for windorphins. (image with permission of Jack Cheng)
Turns out they are for ebay, in an effort to step up the brand fun factor. Well, the site is certainly fun, with the chance to build your own little windorphin, watch a few funny videos and see what is selling well on the site. A fun and fresh design all add to the feel. Not sure how this will fit in with their It campaign, but it is certainly widespread.
More stuff about the campaign and sweeps.
i have to say, as an ebay employee, i think there is something fishy about this advertisement scheme
Why?
Are they trying to get kids to steal their parents’ credit cards and shop on the website? I haven’t been on it yet but the ads appeal more to children then adults…kinda like ciggarette ads…just a thought :)
Compared to the website and the print, the TV ads are rather more understated, with a pretty dull palette. Moving from one of the tv stuff to the web is a shock, the brightness and cartoon-like nature is really different. Not quite sure they work together, whether they appear to hit the same mindset
So ebay is marketing itself as if it’s a drug?
Is that what you see? I suppose so, as it’s just a play on endorphins, those natural chemicals that release in the brain allegedly through exercise or pain. So the joy of winning an auction beings on the rush.
I seriously thought this ad was for some new antidepressant called “windorphin.” The style looks very similar to the ad for Zoloft.
are you kidding me? laurens comment is as ridiculous as any i’ve ever seen. its just a cute advertising gimmick. it’s certain creating a buzz. as far as cigarettes and drugs?…you lefties gotta get a grip.
Everyone has their own perceptions? What you call left, from a political standpoint, I call right. At least from a British POV!
It is cute – but given the number of people looking for information I don’t think it’s obvious what the ad is for. Which may be there intent but maybe not.
More high concept BS, that neither informs the consumer nor reinforces the Ebay brand. Even worse than AT&T’s truly forgettable “mLife” teaser campaign of 5 years ago. Maybe we can all get windorphins on our mLifes. I guess this is what you do when you have a pile of money to burn.
“I seriously thought this ad was for some new antidepressant called “windorphin.” The style looks very similar to the ad for Zoloft.”
I’m right with you on that one Scorp N.
Ok I am a16 year girl, so this is the perspective of a teenager. I first saw the windorphin ads in chicago then I sarted seeing it in NY on the trains. At first I thought windorphin ads were about getting kids to be more ative in national or stae science fair contests. But finding out that it is all just a marketing scheme to promote ebay. Then who ever came up with this stupid idea is a friggin idot.
Now I got kind of intrigued on what you said about ebay marketing them selves as a drug Lauren. Companies uses psychology to help market there products. I think your comment only refers to the windorphin ad “If your happy and you know it, your probably on windorphins.” But ebay has created so many different saying in there windorphin ads that people can interpret one of there ads in two totally different ways. ebay is using psychology to play on words in their ads. Basically trying to tell there consumers that you can get anything on ebay whether it’s drugs or science fare supplies. But there is one problem with ads besides the fact that its a stupid way to market, no one knows that is ebay who is creating these ads so how could they posibly market themselves. so I agree with you Michael that is what happens when people have to much money, to know what to do with. Well now that I know what windorphins are, ebay can suck me cuz there is no way that I am going to pass on the word about what windorphins really are. I will not help them in there silly little marketing scheme.
You have a point. You’re not allowed to sign up for an account until you are 18, but I’m pretty sure the target age is at the young end of the spectrum.
And spot on about the the lack of connection between ads and product. Thanks for the comment ;-)
Saw some ads on the NYC Subway yesterday. They have been all around New York for some weeks now.
When I saw them ads, kept thinking “Windorphins” was a drug or health supplement. Didn’t realize it was actually an eBay alias until checking out the Windorphins.com address.
Imagine my annoyance when, intrigued by the subway ads covering an entire half of my subway car, I go to windorphins.com only to discover it’s just e-Bay. Huh. It doesn’t seem like a rush when you’ve been doing it so routinely that you’re backlogged with leaving and seeking feedback, watching the mail, picking up packages at the postoffice and trying to resolve issues with people who don’t necessarily deliver what they describe in an auction.
After checking my “My e-Bay” as usual for how things were progressing, I decided to look up this windorphins thing and thought maybe my computer was caught in some kind of loop. Can’t be just e-Bay: must be something about kite flying or hot air balloons; but wait — one of the ads mentioned microbiology so maybe science about hormones or something. Finally I thought, maybe there something NEW happening on e-Bay that they’re calling windorphins; but nope — e-Bay as usual.
I’m so pissed. Now I need I need a few cappuchino truffles from Godiva to make me feel better. Now that’s what I call wheendorphins (whee + endorphins).
“I seriously thought this ad was for some new antidepressant called “windorphin.” The style looks very similar to the ad for Zoloft.”
I’m right with you on that one Scorp N.
I AGREE WITH THE BOTGH OF YALL ALEX!
TIS WAS A PLOY YO GET US TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WERE DOING NOW!
A SCAM SHAM!
Nicely said. Your thoughts bear out: I just posted a rough quantitative analysis of the success (er, failure) of the Windorphin campaign thus far here:
http://experienceproject.blogspot.com/2007/08/windorphins-ebay-campaign.html
Did anyone else think this was about renewable energy? Because eveytime I saw these ads, I thought some company was trying to set up windmills everywhere.
You know…wind-orphins.
I honestly thought these were advertisements for a new casino of some kind. They have completely taken over some subway cars here in Boston and the slogans are stupid as hell. Finding out it’s just some dumb campain by e-bay makes them even worse.
A drub, renewable energy, a new casino. Whatever people think it is obviously not eBay. A failure there.
I thought it was a campaign for a new Microsoft product aimed at children –something like Windows for kids.
Also, their design is terrible. To me, they come across creepy, not cute.
I don’t know about u guyz but I think windorphins ar totally cool. Did u even try them out. u defenitely should. I think it’s very cute and fun. Besides it gives a customer on ebay a represenation of a person that he/she is delean with. Not really but still. Totally cool.
Yeah you should also try the zwinky.com. It’s similar. Besides don’t you guyz have anythin better to do than to discuss windorphins? Really. Speakin of which what da hell am I doin postin stuff about windorphins. Is this some kind of research or somethin. Any how good luck and try to get a life. lol.