As best as we can tell it started in 2008 with a call from Timberland to all people in social media encouraging them to make a video about their participation in a new program called Earthkeepers. The best videos would qualify for Timberland gear. Here it is.

And although many good videos were made, you’ve got to take the good with the bad.

And this was a recent response to the video you just viewed.

When brands launch a video promotion they should keep in mind a couple of things in new media.

1. You have no control of the content or the distribution. And distribution is the killer. Almost everything that gets produced for a promotion will be put up on YouTube. And if a “parody” spot on your brand takes off, the promotion ballon was just injected with lead.

2. The long tail of new media. This stuff does not die easily. It stays on YouTube a long long time. And all it takes is for somebody to discover a negative spot, send it around, and you have a new problem born by an ancient promotion.

Brands should stop believing that all people march to the same positive tune of a new promotion and its slug line.

Oh, and the slug line used in this campaign?

Take It All On.