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Viral marketing is a subject of great debate. Every marketer involved in social media dreams of having their video/ad/campaign “go viral” (e.g., racking up hundreds of thousands of hits and creating enormous buzz as it is passed around on the Internet, ad nauseam). The problem is, while going viral may be the goal (isn’t it always?), it’s a goal that can’t ever be predicted or guaranteed.
When it comes right down to it, viral is the aftereffect of creating something so intriguing/new/thought-provoking/moving/entertaining/down-right-hilarious that people CAN’T HELP but share it with others. Email, Facebook, Twitter, etc., simply make sharing easier and faster.
Notable industry-related examples from the recent past include the “Did You Know” series which recently included a version dedicated to media convergence. Evian’s rollerskating babies has blown past the 1 million+ hits milestone, superceded only by Doritos Viralocity (according to Visible Measures) — ironically, a call for consumers to name Doritos new flavor and make their own videos “go viral”.
We may never understand the true psychology behind why something takes off online like wildfire while something else falls flat, any more than we can understand why certain products become rock stars while others sit backstage pining for fame. As marketers, we hope to have something to do with it: and we can, as long as we don’t allow fear to get in the way.
Tags: viral video / strategy