Titleist plunged headlong into engagement marketing when it created the NXTube.com blog — a humorous blog spoofing its own NXT golf balls.

The site looks amateurish because it’s supposed to, but behind the effort lies the wit of John Cleese — legendary Monty Python comedian.

The blog’s concept is direct (and yes, hilarious): Cleese plays the role of uptight Scottish golfer Ian MacCallister, who contends Titleist’s NXT golf ball is so good, it’s ruining the game of golf:

Welcome to my blog. My on-line home and repository for all things anti-NXT. I must confess. It is certainly thrilling knowing that my wisdom will be transmitted across the World Wide Interweb for billions of people to see. So without further ado lets get to it.

Titleist is at it again. They’ve just introduced the new NXT Tour and the grotesquely named, NXT Extreme. Click here to view their propaganda. These new spheres of destruction are loaded with golf-wrecking technology – improved aerodynamics thanks to a “staggered wave parting line” and a little arrow printed on the side to help you line up putts. Let’s call it what it is: a cheater line!

Clearly Titleist will not be satisfied until every green is drivable and every putt is a tap-in. It’s depressing. Golf is supposed to be difficult. It’s a Scottish game for goodness sakes. There’s no place in the game for the uncoordinated masses. It was never intended for the hoi polloi.

Join my crusade against Titleist and their impure technology. You must resist the siren call of easy distance and effortless control. Watch this space for updates and to see what you can do to help. Remember, apathy is the enemy. Together we can derail the NXT Tour and NXT Extreme once and for all.

Interactive & Engaging

The public is invited to participate by submitting photos and stories detailing the “alternative” uses for NXT golf balls. It’s hard to know what’s real and what’s user-generated on NXTube.com, but golf enthusiasts appear to have embraced the blog; user-submitted photos of NXT golf balls used for target practice, decorations, etc adorn the site.

NXTube.com even offers up its own “live” Webcam (it’s not, but it’s funny anyway), crank-calling videos, and slide show.

And unlike the BravoTV blogs I recently wrote about, NXTube.com is wholly interactive; reader comments evoke in-character responses like:

Go ahead, test away. But I can see it now. You drive the NXT ball 297 yards, hitting some poor elderly woman in the head while she is feeding squirrels. The woman comes after you, hitting you in the kneecap with a cane. Next thing you know, you’re answering to a judge about charges of aggravated assault and a broken cane. I’m guessing PETA would also get involved once they find out you were responsible for depriving squirrels of life-saving food.

OR… you could just hit a feathery 58 yards straight as an arrow, finish the round at a respectable 145, hurt no one and probably get a lifetime achievement award from the AARP.

Your choice, either way.

The NXTube.com blog represents a sizable investment (a former client worked with Cleese, who isn’t cheap by any means), and it’s too bad they didn’t leverage some of the video better (I could only find one video on YouTube).

In fact, they seem to have overlooked quite a few viral marketing opportunities, which is a real blot on their effort.

NXTube.com is pure fun, and Alexa rankings suggest the average visitor consumes 11 pages of content. That’s not bad at all — a testament to the engagement power of humor in an interactive setting.

Titleist may be ruining the game of golf, but they’re doing wonders for engagement marketers.

Technorati Tags: engagement marketing,marketing,viral marketing,nxtube.com,john cleese,titleist,golf ball,humor in marketing