• by Gavin O'Malley , September 8, 2005

In an effort to create buzz for the second season of its reality show "The Biggest Loser," NBC recently recruited House Party, an upstart word-of-mouth marketing firm, to find the show's 1,000 biggest fans around the country, and help them throw 1,000 synchronized parties this Saturday.

In the spirit of word-of-mouth, the dedicated hosts and their guests will be encouraged to then spread the word to potential viewers. That night, fans will be treated to an advance screening of the season's premiere episode online.

Founded less than a year ago by Parker Reilly and former Jupiter Communications CEO Gene DeRose, House Party charges companies a fixed rate of $100,000 to establish a brand-dedicated Web site--where supporters can interact based on their shared interests--and then recruit 1,000 ideal fans to invite friends over for branded bashes.

To promote "The Biggest Loser"'s site--www.houseparty.com/bl2/--and assemble applicants, NBC ran TV ads directing viewers to its Web site in early August. House Party's team then surveyed the 3,000 consumers who filled out an online application to find those who were true believers in the brand, possessed the necessary computer skills and the wherewithal to throw a party--and, most importantly, had friends.

The goal is to help companies benefit from the loyalty and enthusiasm of a core group of devoted and tech-savvy customers, according to Reilly.

"We find the biggest fans and get them to work for the brands that they love," Reilly said. "All the videos and pictures and blog comments they create are there for NBC to use and show as evidence of how much people love the show."

Charlene Li, an analyst at Forrester Research, said the initiative potentially could get people excited about the show. "They're basically creating online media for clients," Li said. "Howard Dean proved how effective parties like this can be by generating energy at a grassroots level, and the online component really increases the potential for viral."

NBC is executing a number of customized grassroots marketing campaigns to promote its fall lineup, but none rely so heavily on online viral marketing, according to NBC's director of strategic partnerships Sharon Merle-Lieberman.

"This really is a huge opportunity to create a dialogue with viewers," Merle-Lieberman said, "and it's also a chance for us to reward a group of extremely loyal and dedicated fans."

And while NBC is running TV, radio, and print advertising to promote "The Biggest Loser," Merle-Lieberman insisted that the viral campaign was the key component.

Reilly explained that while pretty much anyone can add comments and content to brand-devoted sites, inappropriate material is not--nor will it become--a problem, thanks to a customer care team that watches intently to make sure everyone behaves themselves online.

Reilly insists, however, that House Party would never consider editing criticism of a brand. "That's the most valuable stuff for NBC or whoever we're working with," he said. "And when people see that, they know that the medium is genuine."

Previously, House Party worked with Nickelodeon on two separate projects.

Reilly said House Party is currently in talks with music companies and movie studios, and insists that the potential for viral campaigns is huge.

How does Reilly intend to promote a brand that doesn't have access to millions of viewers on a 24-hour basis?

"We know we have to go wherever the fans are, and that's getting easier and easier to do the Web," said Reilly. "If we're working for a pet food company, we'll go to pet sites."