White Wine, Macaroons and Condoms

Hostess Melanie Lindsey, 28, urged her guests to sample the Moscato white wine, savor the chocolate-dipped macaroons and enjoy the party favors: an array of Durex condoms and lubricants.

Several weeks ago I had a conversation with Bloomberg reporter Leslie Patton about the increased use of offline word of mouth marketing techniques by national brands. She was specifically interested in the use of in-home parties as a supplement to the traditional methods of broadcast advertising, in-store sampling, and the use of trendy online social media tools.

When I followed up with Patton 10-15 days later she told me that the story would run after she had the opportunity to attend an in-home party at the end of the month.  The party took place on an extremely cold (but apparently not "frigid") night in Chicago.  

Follow this link for the full story.
 

Big Brands Use House Parties for WOMM