I wrote about JibJab's terrific viral marketing alongside High School Musical 3 (which grossed $42m over the weekend) and said that web / social marketers should aspire to create such engaging, cleverly branded campaigns.
The I caught a glimpse of Kentucky Fried Chicken's new Guitar Hero 4 campaign ... which is the exact opposite. The commercials, which run every five minutes on ESPN right now, feature a box of chicken, mashed potatoes and mac & cheese inside a Guitar Hero 4 box. Nothing more is mentioned about a promotion - but I don't get the sense that people will flock to KFC to eat out of a Guitar Hero cardboard box. Nor do I think that people already eating there will pay much attention to it either.
I am sure JibJab could whip something together that features users in concert atmospheres (how many people would jump to put themselves on The Boss or Guns 'N Roses?!)... wouldn't that be more exciting and effective?!