Epidemic Marketing was a short-lived dot-com company headquartered in Denver, Colorado that operated in the viral marketing sector. Before it closed its doors in June 2000, it employed approximately 60 people.^[1] Its website was located at www.epidemic.com.

Operation

Epidemic attempted to generate marketing revenue by paying customers to attach links to internet businesses in their outgoing mail.^[1] Presumably, after seeing their websites jump in popularity, clients would pay Epidemic a greater amount than was paid to customers.

Although Epidemic considered its efforts as viral marketing, it operated in a very similar fashion to spam and bot nets, albeit with willing end-users who were receiving paid compensation.

History

The company was launched in September 1999.^[1] It raised $7.6 million in venture capital in its first round of financing.^[1]

The company spent $1.6 million^[1] to secure a 30-second ad during Super Bowl XXXIV. According to national account manager James Wallen, the ad drew "little response from consumers but helped to attract important business partners."^[1]

Business plans apparently failed and the company attempted to merge with a California-based firm.^[1] When this failed, the company shuttered in June 2000.

Unrelated SEO company

As of April 2018, there exists an unrelated Denver-based search engine optimization company also named Epidemic Marketing.^[2]

See also

• Computer.com
• Dot-com commercials during Super Bowl XXXIV
• Dot-com bubble

References