I’ve been a poketo fan for a few years now, I remember getting this particularly cool monkey wallet from them, in one panel it was wearing a ‘d’ dunce hat, oh how I rejoiced when it arrived. They seemed to have gone from strength to strength since then, adding a whole range of other products from t-shirts, bags, sketchbooks and even some great designs for bands like the shins and postal service. You’ll see some of my favourites dotted throughout the interview.

I chatted to Angie one of the founders about their motivations, hopes for the future and artist relationships:

As I’m about to switch profession and move into more of the online marketing space I’ve been reading blogs and books but all anyone seems to say is “viral”. While I don’t doubt the power of companies using it, surely viral has to feel accidental, you do something worth talking about and hopefully poeple will talk about it. In the same way consumers are becoming close to immune to direct marketing, how long before that “I’m being marketed to, run” sixth sense is heightened towards shameless PR stunts designed to be promoted ‘virally’. One of my favourite quotes of the week has to be

“Show me a marketer without “viral” on her marketing plan and I’ll show you an online video site that’s profitable.” From “Will Video For Food”

I can’t believe that the sort of consumers worth having, the loyal, influential customers can be suckered in this way. Maybe the focus has shifted too far from just doing the core things right:

• make a good product
• delivering value for money
• offer excellent customer service
• listen to your customers

Excelling or finding novel approaches to do those things is the quickest way to get me talking about and reccomending a company, am I the only one?

Theres a nice post here about a failed viral campaign and campaigns in general.