Viral marketing at Center of New Umpqua bank promotion.

A viral marketing campaign was introduced this summer to promote the small-business services of Umpqua Bank (assets: $7.3 billion), Portland, Ore.

The bank, which has a reputation for innovative marketing, partnered with Creature, a full-service advertising agency, to develop the campaign entitled, "The Lemonaire." The campaign's print, direct mail, point-of-sale and radio components encouraged viewers and listeners to go to a Web site, where they could view a video The video--which was the viral component--was a lighthearted look at the troubles any small business goes through via the eyes of a 7-year-old who sets out to start a lemonade stand.

Web-site viewers can simply click on a button to create a pre-formatted e-mail message. The video is automatically attached to the e-mail. Viewers are encouraged to send the video to their friends. Viral marketing is the technique of using existing "social networks" in order to bolster brand awareness.

The campaign was designed to help elementary school-aged children start and run summer lemonade stands. "The Lemonaire" was part of the bank's MainStreet program that supports local businesses in Oregon, Washington and California.

"Partnering with Creature to build an innovative campaign that gives children the start-up capital and supplies needed to start their own lemonade business is a unique and unexpected way to show our support of small business," says Ray Davis, president and CEO of Umpqua Bank.

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In addition to receiving start-up capital, children participating in "The Lemonaire" will receive lemonade stand starter kits, including a "Guide to Starting Your First Small Business," that serves as an educational tool providing suggestions on how to store cash flow, pricing structure advice, an advertising plan, general business tips and financial literacy lessons.

Starting last July, five applicants were randomly selected in eight Umpqua Bank markets to borrow a deluxe Umpqua lemonade stand for a week during the summer. The lemonade stands were environmentally friendly, kid-size, and they folded down in to an easy-to-transport wagon-style structure.

"Umpqua's brand makes it possible for banking to be about more than just suits and handshakes," says Jim Haven, creative director for Creature. "Unless those handshakes are small and sticky."

Campaign materials were distributed or aired in Portland, Bend, Eugene and Medford, Ore., and Chico Eureka, Sacramento and Yuba City, Calif.

The viral video can be viewed by going to www.lemonaire.com.