(1 August 2007) Digital marketing agency Stonewall+ recently launched an innovative viral video campaign for South Africa's largest online marketplace bobshop.

The campaign, "Crazy for Cash" allows web users to enter an online competition on www.crazyforcash.co.za and submit their video or photograph (featuring the words Bob Shop) to show what they would do to win R50,000.

In order to be eligible to enter, users have to visit the website, www.crazyforcash.co.za and register as an entrant. Users then submit their best original photograph or video depicting what lengths they would go to, to win R50,000. There will also be three weekly prizes to the value of R5,000 prior to the grand prize. All entry material has to feature Bob Shop branding or use of these words, in order to stand a chance of winning.

Site visitors can vote on their favourite clips and send them onto friends, thereby extending the reach of the campaign, whilst driving up a lead generation base for Bob Shop.

"We've seen the massive explosion in online video sites both locally and internationally and felt that this vehicle was the ideal way to attract a young audience to participate in a great incentive, whilst tactfully introducing them to the Bob Shop brand", says Gillian Meier, Business Manager of Bob Shop.

The competition launches on 1 August 2007 and runs for 8 weeks, with an extensive promotional campaign on 5FM (website & on-air), Student Village, You Tube and Facebook.

"We're very excited about this campaign! It's our first attempt at developing a viral video campaign and we feel we've created the right promotional platform to develop a highly successful campaign for our client", says Adam Whitehouse, Creative Director of Stonewall+.

"'Crazy For Cash' combines the growing success of user-generated content on the web - think of YouTube, GoogleVideo and Flickr - with the popularity of 'reality content' off the web - think of shows like 'Punk'd', the Crazy Monkey pranks and the rise of reality-TV," says Evan Milton, Strategy Director of Stonewall+.

"It's a new phenomenon, but really just a twist on the old truth that we all like to have a good laugh. The youth market is already equipped with cellphone cameras, DV cams and digital cameras and a host of creative ideas. Now they can use these to create a funny video, the kind of clip that will make their peers want to 'send-to-a-friend', and stand a chance to win a prize," he adds.

bobshop have adopted a forward-looking stance with the "Crazy For Cash" campaign. Recognising that the youth are future entrepreneurs, the campaign will benefit from exposure across a carefully selected mix of youth internet sites and social networks, and is designed with the short-term aim of introducing this target market to the brand in a fun and interactive way, and with a long-term benefit of educating them the benefits of engaging in ecommerce - and empowering them to set up their own online businesses.