New to the site!

[powermelissa]

Hey guys, I'm Melissa! I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone. First off, I'm a big-time car girl. I really dig cars of all types, and especially drag racing.

I've worked for the NMRA & NMCA the past few years, and now I'm helping start a new video company called powerTV which broadcasts motorsport TV and video over the internet.

This looks like a pretty cool site. Just wanted to say hi!

[SinistrV6]

"Big-time car girl"? Yeah, right.

guerrilla marketing bust: PowerTV working for Holley, Comp Cams, SEMA, GM, and others

[jpratt]

Originally Posted by SinistrV6

"Big-time car girl"? Yeah, right.

guerrilla marketing bust: PowerTV working for Holley, Comp Cams, SEMA, GM, and others

Thanks for that link.

[TR Custom Parts]

Originally Posted by SinistrV6

"Big-time car girl"? Yeah, right.

guerrilla marketing bust: PowerTV working for Holley, Comp Cams, SEMA, GM, and others

Great detective work!

[powermelissa]

Hi! Just so you know I am in fact a "big time car girl" - i own like 5 project cars. I am not part of a guerilla spam campaign and the man that is making these allegations is a total idiot with nothing better to do than launch unwarranted rants on large companies - I mean, he tried to sue SEMA! Come on!

[1BADTT]

If all this is true...it's just a matter of time before your banned for good.

[Grumpy]

hmmmmmm..do we really want another Melissa in here

[Blown&Injected]

While it does sound like the guy has a problem with big firms, and also seems to be promoting his own sites, it also seems like he told the truth about you.

IMO, the more cool car stuff the better.


<SNIP>
quote
guerrilla marketing bust: PowerTV working for Holley, Comp Cams, SEMA, GM, and others


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A massive guerrilla marketing forum spam campaign has been exposed. It looks like it spans more than 100 automotive forums, and involves some of the bigger names in the industry: Holley, Dynomax, Comp Cams, SEMA, GM, and others.

This will be covered on SpankMyMarketer.com (or a new designated site), but I wanted to break it here first.

It's being run by PowerTV. They're a new "internet TV" company, with much of the same advertiser-driven content we see in the mainstream hot rod TV shows. They're run by James Lawrence, an ex-Primedia guy. They operate the following hot rod and sport compact websites (among others): PowerTVonline.com, NMRATV.com, StreetLegalTV.com, LSXTV.com, PowerPerformanceTV.com, and SportCompact.tv .

They are using forums to push advertisements for Comp Cams, Holley, Dynomax, Turbonetics, SEMA, GM, and others. They film promotional videos for companies, and then advertise those videos by mass-spamming forums.

The main guerrilla marketer for PowerTV goes by the username of "Powermelissa" -- Melissa Lawrence, the host of many of the PowerTV promotional videos. By my understanding, she is the wife of James Lawrence, the CEO of PowerTV. I first noticed her on our forums, advertising for PowerTV. I asked her to stop (via PM and, later, a phone call). She agreed to not post again. Then, she posted more adverts on the forum. This happened at the same time that I got an email spam from someone else at PowerTV. Red flags. So, I investigated.

Melissa has been making the rounds of dozens (if not hundreds?) of automotive forums, copy-pasting promotional posts for her clients.

---------------

First, Melissa introduces herself with a copy-pasted post that is nearly identical on all forums. Melissa identifies herself as a "big-time car girl", and indicates that she "really digs cars of all types, and especially drag racing". Once she plays the "girl" card, she's got her foot in the door. Here are direct links to a few (cough!) examples: 1320Drag.net, 1969Stang.com, 50Tech.com, AllFordMustangs.com, BStuff.com, CaliforniaFords.com, CaliforniaSpecial.com, CamaroV6.com, CarbdFord.com, DFWStangs.net, ElCaminoCentral.com, FordForum.com, GTOForum.com, GTPlanet.net, Hotrodders.com, KYFBodies.com, LincolnForums.com, LS1LT1.com, LVFbody.com, MCRParts.com, MFBA.com, MidSouthDragRacing.com, ModernEngineuity.com, ModularDepot.com, ModularFords.com, MonteCarloForum.com, Mustang.com, MustangEvolution.com, MustangForums.com, MustangHeaven.com, MustangMafia.com, MustangWorks.com, MyFord500.com, NewAgeGTO.com, PontiacPower.net, SCCoA.com, StangCrazy.com, STLMustangs.com, StreetCarChaos.net, StreetCarForums.com, SuperMotors.net, SVTSnake.com, TheChromePony.com, TheSamba.com, ThirdGen.org, ThunderBirdForum.com, TurboBuick.com, V8Buick.com, VintageThunderbirdClub.org, YarisWorld.com, YourCobalt.com, Z28.com.


After introducing herself, Melissa begins to subtly advertise the companies that have paid PowerTV, by copy-pasting PowerTV's video promotions onto numerous forums. For example, Dynomax pays PowerTV to do promotions for them. Melissa's Dynomax pitch starts out like this: "Did you guys hear about Dynomax's new event series?" Some examples of the Dynomax campaign: 50Tech.com, AllFordMustangs.com, ColoradoRacing.net, ForwardLook.net, GoDragRacing.com, GotStang.com, Mach1Mustang.com, MidSouthDragRacing.com, MODernENGINEuity.com, ModdedMustangs.com, ModularDepot.com, MoparChat.com, MoPowerStyle.com, MotownMuscle.com, Mustang-Forums.com, MustangEvolution.com, MustangForums.com, MustangHeaven.com, ProModifieds.com, RacingSouthwest.com, ShelbyForums.com, StangCrazy.com, StangSource.com, StreetCarForums.com, VADriven.com, VintageThunderbirdClub.org.


PowerTV also advertises SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, who figured prominently in the failed Spank My Monkey promotion. This time, the mass-spam starts out like this: "It's the 40th Anniversary of the SEMA Show, and in 2006 the show is bigger and better than ever." A few examples: 2005Stang.com, 50Tech.com, AllFordMustangs.com, BadAssMustangs.com, BradBarnett.com, CA-Mustangs.com, Carbdford.com, DFWStangs.com, GotStang.com, Mach1Mustang.com, ModdedMustangs.com, MODernENGINEuity.com, ModularDepot.com, ModularFords.com, Mustang.com, MustangForums.com, Mustang-Forums.com, MustangEvolution.com, MustangHeaven.com, MustangWorks.com, Stangnet.com, StangSource.com.

There are plenty more. I need some more time to do research, and I'm sure others will have fun poking around too.

[QuickBuick87]

Hmmmmm........

KB

[mcasteel2112]

Originally Posted by powermelissa

Hi! Just so you know I am in fact a "big time car girl" - i own like 5 project cars. I am not part of a guerilla spam campaign and the man that is making these allegations is a total idiot with nothing better to do than launch unwarranted rants on large companies - I mean, he tried to sue SEMA! Come on!

Um lemme see ----->This Idiot (SinistrV6)you are referring to has a--->>>>
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Trader Rating: (0)
Posts: 1,262

And you joined when? Last year? with 4 posts? and the other board postings have the same intro? Cut and paste is kinda non personal

I think the prob is that Venders on any board pay for advertisment, just like when you take out an add in the paper or buy space on a billboard, and one might take offence if someone climbed up onto my rented billboard and duct taped a big sign saying hey guys go here and support us.

But this forum is for a small market and most big go fast companys have nothing to contribute to a TR

It takes money to make money, cough up some dough and
make check payable to SGRIM then come back with a more personal introduction to yourself and your fledgling enterprise.

[1BADTT]

Originally Posted by mcasteel2112

But this forum is for a small market and most big go fast companys have nothing to contribute to a TR

+1

[mcasteel2112]

LOL ya know BadTT ... We cant even go to autozone or advance and walkout with a damn fuel filter let alone think were gonna open up a jegs or summit catalog or some new site and go shopping...sheeze

[INEEDAGN]

I'm assuming (and hoping) that the Jon Nguyen that is referenced in that link is not the same John Nguyen on this site. Username Eticket, the guy with the stage II car that was on pinks all out.

Anyone know for sure?

[mcasteel2112]

Hard to say..The name Nguyen is like Smith in Vietnam.. very common

[SGRIM]

Originally Posted by powermelissa

Hey guys, I'm Melissa! I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone. First off, I'm a big-time car girl. I really dig cars of all types, and especially drag racing.

I've worked for the NMRA & NMCA the past few years, and now I'm helping start a new video company called powerTV which broadcasts motorsport TV and video over the Internet.

This looks like a pretty cool site. Just wanted to say hi!

Mellisa has contacted us several times about adding us to there Power TV list or whatever. It doesn't seem as it wouldn't benefit TR owners at all. I am not in this for the money that is why I haven't added it..... So again Melissa, No thanks..... Most of your ads have nothing for our cars Not knocking your deal its just not for us....

We are and have been for over a year trying to get a custom Video feed in place on T6P which would link through here TurboBuick as well for all our members to upload videos and share. It will have probably have an add at the beginning but it will be the banners from sponsors in our community. The ones that keep our cars running

[Brer Rabbit]

Originally Posted by powermelissa

Hi! Just so you know I am in fact a "big time car girl" - i own like 5 project cars. I am not part of a guerilla spam campaign and the man that is making these allegations is a total idiot with nothing better to do than launch unwarranted rants on large companies - I mean, he tried to sue SEMA! Come on!

Unless Ur mustang has an LC2 in it, this is not the place for U. On the brite side U do have nice lips though!

[Brer Rabbit]

Ur claim "I own like 5 project cars" not buying it, the only person on this forum crazy enough to have 5 projects is the terrorist in Elburn. Speaking of Prasad anyone know how his Uranium enrichment experiments are going?

[wickedv6]

Originally Posted by Brer Rabbit

Ur claim "I own like 5 project cars" not buying it, the only person on this forum crazy enough to have 5 projects is the terrorist in Elburn. Speaking of Prasad anyone know how his Uranium enrichment experiments are going?

Hey the last time I checked, my wife’s name was Miriam not “PowerMalicious”. I am not aware of her 5 projects either.unless she is rolling them out the back barn door. Hmmmmmm, do you think she is cheating on me? Man, that Ur-anus enrichment experiment is playing games with my mind. My septic tank is over flowing from all the enriched crap from ur-anus!!

Prasad

[Brer Rabbit]

Originally Posted by wickedv6

Hey the last time I checked, my wife’s name was Miriam not “PowerMalicious”. I am not aware of her 5 projects either.unless she is rolling them out the back barn door. Hmmmmmm, do you think she is cheating on me? Man, that Ur-anus enrichment experiment is playing games with my mind. My septic tank is over flowing from all the enriched crap from ur-anus!!

Prasad

I see ur ball busting skills have improved!

[TexasT]

Originally Posted by powermelissa

Hi! Just so you know I am in fact a "big time car girl" - i own like 5 project cars. I am not part of a guerilla spam campaign and the man that is making these allegations is a total idiot with nothing better to do than launch unwarranted rants on large companies - I mean, he tried to sue SEMA! Come on!

Are any of them Buicks or even G Bodies? Are any of them even GM?

I will say I am a "Car Guy" and enjoy most performance vehicles but I think you've been 'busted' as you only sport 4 posts here. Good luck slippin' in any of your links.

[JayC]

Originally Posted by powermelissa

Hey guys, I'm Melissa! I just wanted to introduce myself to everyone. First off, I'm a big-time car girl. I really dig cars of all types, and especially drag racing.

I've worked for the NMRA & NMCA the past few years, and now I'm helping start a new video company called powerTV which broadcasts motorsport TV and video over the internet.

This looks like a pretty cool site. Just wanted to say hi!

Melissa

Its not enough that your company has email spammed the site owners here to death, now you have to come and solicit business by spamming our forums as well?

[DragulaGN]

Whats funny is FIT doesnt have enough members to warrant the constant bombardment from these guys..lol

[mcasteel2112]

[SinistrV6]

I was on the Hotrodders.com -- the net's largest hot rod site board when I came across the thread discussing this. When I saw the list of boards that "Melissa" had posted on, lo and behold, my beloved TurboBuick.Com - The World Wide Web under BOOST! - Buick Grand National, GNX, T-Type was listed. A quick search turned up this posting (from last year, btw) and I posted the link.

I have no problem with vendors advertising. Just don't come on a board for cars/trucks with which you have no personal interest and try to pass yourself off as "one of us". If you have products to sell, buy some space and peddle them. I'm thinking your return on advertising dollars spent will be abysmally low on this board unless you start selling new turbo cranks for 109 motors or new stage II blocks.

BTW, I think the "idiot" she was referring to was the owner of Hotrodders.com -- the net's largest hot rod site, not me. If it was me, I don't care. I've been called worse, by better.

[JayC]

I woulda taken a look at their video offerings if they would have ever shown me a working vBulletin integrated package. I asked, I was told "Its coming in a month" and then nothing. That was over a year ago.

[SGRIM]

I don't know why they listed us...

[SuperCPA]

Originally Posted by INEEDAGN

I'm assuming (and hoping) that the Jon Nguyen that is referenced in that link is not the same John Nguyen on this site. Username Eticket, the guy with the stage II car that was on pinks all out.

Anyone know for sure?

It absolutely IS NOT Eticket. I can without a shadow of a doubt attest to that!

[powerjon]

This is Jon Nguyen from pTV (not related in any way with your own John Nguyen; although, i guess i could be?)

anyhow, i've been following this post and have to stick my head in.

I applaud the comradery amongst the buick owners and members of this board, but the elitist mentality of "that has nothing to do with us" needs to go away from the automotive community.

we're all in to the same money pit hole hobby we call racing, and appreciate it more when we are complimented from another clique of car owners.

we post drag/crash videos that are usually sweet with great footage and editing. there are plenty videos being posted that are shot with a camera phone showing how sweet their bitrated audio exhaust sounds. it might be refreshing to see a clip that doesn't warrant the use of Dramamine. Whine and complain, you may, but we all appreciate a gnarly wheelstand and smokey donuts even if the driver is in a vehicle that isnt a classic regal.

regarding melissa, i can vouch that she is working on more project cars than necessary by any human being. although it isn't my cup of tea, her and her fiance keep 3 of their mustangs in the back (lowest hp of which has 666whp), a 67(??) nova, and a granny malibu. i'm sure most of you, even the buick martyrs, can appreciate some of this list that crowds our building.

JayC, everything works, and I'm not sure who you were dealing with previously, but you are welcome to shoot me an email or catch me on the phone. I'll PM you my info and we can discuss privately.

[benoitthegr8]

My suggestion is to go to this site: ViperAlley.Com - Dodge Viper Forum

These guys are not as temperamental as we are about newcomers....

[Brer Rabbit]

Originally Posted by powerjon

This is Jon Nguyen from pTV (not related in any way with your own John Nguyen; although, i guess i could be?)

anyhow, i've been following this post and have to stick my head in.

I applaud the comradery amongst the buick owners and members of this board, but the elitist mentality of "that has nothing to do with us" needs to go away from the automotive community.

we're all in to the same money pit hole hobby we call racing, and appreciate it more when we are complimented from another clique of car owners.

we post drag/crash videos that are usually sweet with great footage and editing. there are plenty videos being posted that are shot with a camera phone showing how sweet their bitrated audio exhaust sounds. it might be refreshing to see a clip that doesn't warrant the use of Dramamine. Whine and complain, you may, but we all appreciate a gnarly wheelstand and smokey donuts even if the driver is in a vehicle that isnt a classic regal.

regarding melissa, i can vouch that she is working on more project cars than necessary by any human being. although it isn't my cup of tea, her and her fiance keep 3 of their mustangs in the back (lowest hp of which has 666whp), a 67(??) nova, and a granny malibu. i'm sure most of you, even the buick martyrs, can appreciate some of this list that crowds our building.

JayC, everything works, and I'm not sure who you were dealing with previously, but you are welcome to shoot me an email or catch me on the phone. I'll PM you my info and we can discuss privately.

WE DONT CARE ABOUT U, MELISSA, HER PROJECTS OR ANYTHING ELSE ASSOCIATED WITH UR POWER NONSENSE, SO GO POWER SOME OTHER SITE. MAN U GUYS ARE WORSE THAN TELEMARKETERS OR JEHOVAS WITNESSES.

[powerjon]

Originally Posted by Brer Rabbit

WE DONT CARE ABOUT U, MELISSA, HER PROJECTS OR ANYTHING ELSE ASSOCIATED WITH UR POWER NONSENSE, SO GO POWER SOME OTHER SITE. MAN U GUYS ARE WORSE THAN TELEMARKETERS OR JEHOVAS WITNESSES.

very mature of you, sir. hands off the shift button.

[mcasteel2112]

Originally Posted by powerjon

I applaud the comradery amongst the buick owners and members of this board, but the elitist mentality of "that has nothing to do with us" needs to go away from the automotive community.

Jon, all of the top go fast manufactures, you pretty much name it, they offer nothing for the Buick community NOTHING! and why do i want to go and sift through a bunch of mustang videos?..i can turn on spike tv during the weekend and see that. I can go out and plop down as much money as my credit will allow me then have 1000 venders for mustangs...why? so i can be like every other duchebag?..no thanks

So by calling it an Elitist mentality is further from the truth its not elitist by choice dude

Go pop open a Jegs catalog and show me what they offer for any Buick be it 401, 350 or 455... they do have i think a gasket or two so i'll give em that

I think you failed to see what the problem was in the first place and that is...that this milissa came in with the same schpeel that is posted on all the other auto forums.

HI fellas im a gurl...hehehe and i love to go fast hehee

its no different then me opening up my yahoo and seeing viagra invites

all it amounts to is a bad marketing strategy...nothing more

[powerjon]

Well, by not having advertisements having to do with your particular application shown to you, how does that do us any good? Jegs not selling parts for the Buick world, just as we do not have Buick videos or parts advertisers is what we are trying to remedy; by serving the entire automotive community with video. Admittedly, having melissa introduce herself seems cliche, but it is an honest introduction.

A race car to me is a race car. For example, there are tons of companies that sell remanufactured parts for hotrods/ratrods, and build-to-new kits... The thing is, most of those guys will go to home depot for sheet metal before spending money on a molded body panel.

I use the same mentality when looking for automotive communities. I'd rather see a diverse amount of videos from unique and different cars than see the same redundant videos time after time; and I am approaching turbobuicks as an automotive community that can help with bringing a unique flavor to the field. I, as a viewer, would love to watch videos of buicks smoking mustangs.

[mcasteel2112]

JON..You Wrote-->Admittedly, having melissa introduce herself seems cliche, but it is an honest introduction.

So it may be an honest introduction but it is not personable and you never have a second chance to make a first impression am i correct?

lets say i want to sell you on somthing...i walk into your office or knock on your door, you answer and i look down at a sheet of paper and read off of it...would that sell you? would you give me the time of the day if i couldnt even look you in the eye shake your hand and introduce myself?

What is the feeling you get when you have seen the trend lately in some commercials on TV that had oh lets say Joe's Windows and they have Joe looking off to the left as he is telling you of the great deal, does that strike you as personable or does it irk you that the guy has to read from a script off camera..what he cant remember 5 lines? and look into the camera essentially looking you in the eye to gain your trust

So now does it become an issue of trust?
She came in here and posted the same hello as she had done on every forum and thats not personable
its nothing more then spam dude i dont care how you slice it spam is spam and i dont care if they love spam in Hawaii
i hate spam, not even with my green eggs and ham would i ever like spam sam i am never liked it..in fact id prolly take headcheese over spam.

if your trying to market a site then might i suggest going back and finding a better approach cause i already have a vacuum cleaner

[JayC]

Originally Posted by mcasteel2112

if your trying to market a site then might i suggest going back and finding a better approach cause i already have a vacuum cleaner

Actually what they offer is a sort of embedded ad driven video upload/viewing package.

Here's a site that has it embedded.. I was really hoping for some better VB integration but what I want may not be possible without some serious VB coding skillz....

StangFreak, Stang Freaks, Mustang Forums, Mustang News, Ventura County Mustang Club - Home

Shane I wanted to have some sort of video library here.. Im just not sure this fits the bill.