Today the LATimes has done some sleuthing that takes the story further - they've revealed that Lonelygirl15.com was registered in advance of the videos appearing, and that emails from Lonelygirl15 actually come from the offices of a Beverly Hills-based talent agency called Creative Artists Agency. What's more, the phrase "lonelygirl15" has been trademarked by an Encino lawyer. There's even speculation that the clips are a promotion for an upcoming horror film, although the evidence isn't that strong.
If Lonelygirl15 is an elaborate marketing ploy for a Blair Witch-style movie, then YouTube Marketing will join MySpace Marketing as one of the most viral new tactics. And even if it isn't, it seems that YouTube mini-sagas are about to take off in a big way. What's more, this covert strategy is far more effective than in-your-face advertising: Paris Hilton's appearance on the site has gone down badly, since YouTube users reject in-your-face commercialism.
Update: Saturday's LATimes will run a story about how the creators of Lonelygirl15 have come forward and explained that they're trying to create a "new art form" with the series.
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LonelyGirl15 on YouTube