Ah this is BRILLIANT.

From AdWeek:

EA Sports, which today debuts its “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09″ video game. Mr. Woods’ water feat, however, will not be seen on the traditional media slate. The video was posted to EA’s YouTube channel only. It shows Mr. Woods smacking a ball into a pond, where it lands on top of a lily pad. He sizes up the situation, takes off his shoes and socks, rolls up his pant legs a bit and saunters out onto the pond. He chips, creating a little water spray, and the ball lands on the green and plops right into the hole.

The video is actually posted as a response to an almost year-old original YouTube clip by Levinator25, also known as Penn State University film student Bryan Levi. In his homemade 30-second video slugged “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 Jesus Shot,” Mr. Levi exposes a glitch in the game where the virtual Tiger player can walk out onto the water hazard to take a shot, which of course, he chips straight into the hole.

Original Levinator25 Video:

EA Sports Response:

This is awesome. So many times we encourage clients and companies to respond to their customers on YouTube, where they’re making the buzz. THIS is an example that works. Some kid makes a crack at their product. EA, instead of posting a snotty blog post or freaking out on the kid, uses it to help market the new Tiger Woods game. Now, this video will be posted on blogs and blogs and blogs, hype up the game and EA will get a huge amount of interest in the game. All while using social media. No big ad buy on TV. No major commericals. Done.

Bravo EA Sports. Bravo.