The campaign incorporates a MySpace profile, a YouTube Channel and a Flickr profile (since taken down) to enhance traffic to their Hotel Campari Web site.

Most interesting, re: our discussions of purpose built del.icio.us pages, Kami notes that Campari has created a purpose-built del.icio.us page to bookmark coverage of the meme.

My take. Is anyone surprised to see this kind of effort? I’m not. Campari, through “MRM Worldwide (who ran the Campari campaign),” (*) is trying to fold old-school tactics into new media space. And, with the use of “sex sells” it shows a continued lack of imagination and adaptation to social media by marketers. Oh, that may be their brand’s feel, but it is still nothing new or innovative.

The Campari effort isn’t too different from Captain Morgan‘s attempt. Sex and alcohol. Campari’s gateway with the “Are you of legal drinking age? Yes. No.” (oh, that’ll keep the kids out, huh?) is even more lame than Captain Morgan’s dropdown menu – now, and during the Final Four campaign. Neither have/will keep underage visitors out. And, I never see anyone complaining about it. Is the free gateway to underage users innocuous? I don’t think so.

Sharp’s Aquous TV tried something similar in the adult / viral form with the MoreToSee.com effort. They had three faux blogs and a Clue-like mystery game. Their mystery “Search for the Urns” involved faux blogs “by” Peter, Mike, and Natalie. All have long since been redirected to the main Aquous site. It also involved an eBay auction. That eBay site is an example of the cheesy stores you find with bolded characters, color coding gone so wrong that it appears to have been done by a child. It is so overdone, for frequent eBay users, that it comes off as silly.

Both Campari and Sharp used Flash for their sites. I have never seen a Flash site (which many PR firms attempt to use) that was very well done.

I notice that the “redpassion” Flickr profile is no longer active. Wonder if Flickr kicked them out? I did find 1,390 photos tagged Campari, though. Mostly product shots, it seems. Interesting.

The big question in all this may actually be, has Salma Hayek’s career fallen this far? She is, it seems, the star of their video fantasies.

As for character, or faux, blogs … we best get ready to deal with them. As more and more attempts are made by new adopters, we’ll likely see more and more of them. Some will work. Most won’t.

P.S. If this video is any indicator, the Campari campaign is right in line with the goal of the company re: their brand. As in, drink this and get the girl. But, as you’ll see by the ad, once you’re through drinking it … that illusion fades away. And, you’re stuck back in reality.