Anyone who grew up through the 1980’s knows what I mean.
Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start
For a generation of children, this was the first step of effective problem solving. When in doubt, when faced with a new situation, start mashing these buttons to unlock a cheat screen.
Many times, this code was simply there for developers of the game – as it allowed them to quickly skip levels and test their games. For players of the games, however, they came to embody covert, top-secret knowledge. You either knew it and reaped the benefits, or you had to play all the levels just like everybody else.
The select few
People like being in the select few. They like knowing things others don’t and having things that other people can’t have. It’s why they buy expensive handbags they can’t really afford. It’s why they covet obscure albums that aren’t yet released. It’s why they go to hole in the wall cafe instead of the Starbucks down the street.
Sharing the secret
Part of the allure of being in the select few, is the ability to share the secret. What was the first thing you did when you discovered the Konami code? You invited your friends over to show them. What is the first thing you do when you have that amazing new indie record that hasn’t been released yet? You let someone hear it, and make sure they know it’s not out yet.
Secrets are funny like that… the big draw is that no one else knows them, but the reason they persist is because people tell others. They give the gift of inviting a few close friends into the ranks of the select few.
Seeding the cloud with secrets
There are lots of communities online. On a macro level, you can see them from the moon – Bloggers, Status Update junkies, Podcasters, Video makers, Photo Freaks. As you zoom in, they fracture again… Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, Vimeo, Viddler. The list goes on and on.
The common bond that unites each group is a sense of us. Us is a great scenario for sharing secrets… Information can spread quickly, important for something gaining traction. But information can’t spread too far, important for a secret to maintain its important status as being reserved for the select few.
Smart marketers release secrets into the clouds, and then sit back and watch it rain.
Case in point? Good Hotel in San Francisco.
Promo Code at Good Hotel
The average user doesn’t know any promo codes. But, anyone who has ever interacted with Good on Twitter will know that the code “Twitter” will get them a discount, every time.
Same thing goes with Go Daddy. Fans of many popular podcasts come armed with a slew of top secret discount codes… (such as HASH8 for listeners of CC Chapman’s – Accident Hash.
Social People
The genius behind these codes is that they give secrets to the exact people who spread them best. The users of social sites are quick to give recommendations, quick to snap photos and share experiences, or write blog posts that show up on branded search queries.
The same way that you once showed your friends the konami code, Twitter users are likely to show their friends their promo code for a popular hotel.
I just saved 10% because I use Twitter
And the same way your friends were more likely to buy a game once they knew the code – people are inclined to use your service, just so they can use the code, too.
Smart marketers get this: Using the code makes us feel special. It gives us something to talk about. It gives us something to share. It makes us feel like one of the select few… just like everybody else.
What secret codes do you know? Bonus points if it’s for a video game!
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! Good blog!
thats true “users of social sites are quick to give recommendations” and sometime our own secessions to buy or to implement ant thing is based on those