Firefox Launches Open Source Marketing Campaign

Mozilla is promoting the latest release of its open source browser Firefox with an open source marketing initiative that asks users to create video testimonials.

With the release this week of Firefox 1.5, Mozilla has launched Firefox Flicks, a community-driven marketing campaign to drive worldwide adoption of Firefox.

The company has kicked off its two-stage campaign by inviting users to record video testimonials. It’s spreading the word by encouraging supporters to link to video.spreadfirefox.com by giving them “affiliate points” to win Mozilla gear. Once someone lands on the Firefox Flicks site, they can use the tools there to capture and upload Webcam footage explaining why they love Firefox. Mozilla will give away Firefox gear and Amazon.com gift certificates to their favorite video producer each week. Submissions will be accepted until mid-February, when a grand prize winner will be chosen.

“We’re making it easy for you to speak out for Firefox. You don’t have to be video professional, just ready, willing and excited to tell your Firefox story,” according to the site.

The second phase, expected to begin in mid-December, will appeal to the creative community to develop :30 ads about Firefox, the best of which will be used by Mozilla in future Web and TV campaigns.

“Our success has been driven by satisfied users letting other people know they are having a better Web experience with Firefox,” said Christopher Beard, VP of products at Mozilla Corp. “Firefox Flicks taps into the creative energy and enthusiasm of our community to tell the world in their own words why they love Firefox.”

Past grassroots marketing efforts organized by the passionate user and developer base that has sprung up around the competitor to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer include a two-page ad in The New York Times in November 2004 that was paid for with funds raised by Mozilla online. That ad included the names of more than 2,000 donors alongside highlights of Firefox product features. The company has also been collecting written testimonials for the past year on the Spreadfirefox.com site.

The company expects Firefox Flicks to be the first of many community-driven marketing campaigns in coming months.