“NBC paid over $1 billion to broadcast the Olympics.  The Wall Street Journal paid … less.”

Social Times reports that’s how the WSJ describes their DIY-style homemade Olympic highlights series, “Homemade Highlights.”

“The kitschy style of “Homemade Highlights” is surprising, especially coming from the Wall Street Journal, but that’s what makes it so awesome.  Glue, construction paper, pipe cleaners, clothespins, pompoms and little cutouts of Olympians’ faces are used to recap some of the highlights of the 2012 London Games.”

In marketing and PR, you want to capitalize on a news event that you can tie into your brand, product or story. And that’s certainly what the Journal has done — tying into the Olympic story. And not only have they used the “event” to build their brand, they’ve done it in a highly creative, low-cost method.

Check out the video below of Missy Franklin winning a gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke final in her first bid for an individual medal at the London Olympics.

Personally, I think it was a great marketing gimmick. What about you? Think the Wall Street Journal gets the gold for their efforts on this or the bronze?

At the time of this post the above video had almost 18,000 views, a number many YouTubers would love to have. But interestingly, there were 48 dislikes, compared to only 76 likes. Was it that bad or distasteful or do “haters” vote more often than “likers?”