Today, with the rapid adoption of social media, a successful viral marketing campaign is a coveted triumph for marketers. What makes viral marketing so valuable is its very nature, the fact that it spreads unchecked, uncontrolled and without constraint like a virus. There is no other form of advertising that has the unbounded potential of viral marketing.
Why? Because it is driven by the consumer and not the seller. Of course, the aim of a viral marketing campaign is to get a company in the spotlight and receive massive exposure online but in order for it to be successful, it has to have viral appeal. People need to be moved by it, feel excited by what they see to the extent that they want to share it.
We’re going to share with you some recent viral marketing videos that have done exactly that, companies communicated something unique and their target market ensured that the intended audience saw and shared. Viral marketing at its best makes you want to join in.
- T-Mobile: Life’s For Sharing
On 19 January 2009, at 11:00am at Liverpool Street Station, T-Mobile launched its Life’s For Sharing campaign, live. From the depths of a teeming train station, casually dressed dancers, seemingly also a part of the stations’ daily grind, suddenly began to dance. As the music continued and the dancers performed their routine to different music clips, the station started to come alive until at the very end almost everyone on the platform was doing ‘the twist’. Then, as suddenly as it began, the music stopped and the crowd dispersed. What a brilliant captive audience, no doubt, every single passenger in that station called more than one friend with the line; ‘You’ll never believe what happened to me today!’ On YouTube, the clip has been viewed over 13,6 million times and counting. - Extreme Sheep LED Art
Samsung created this fantastically smart campaign which combines nature and technology to promote the LED technology and of course, the company’s LED TVs. Samsung are using a very appealing video to promote a rather sophisticated product. This video is just short of 9 million views on YouTube.
- The Portobello Mushroom Burger
The beauty of viral videos is that they do not have to be nearly as sophisticated as the two mentioned above. This simple video which incorporates the eloquent talents of a young gentleman serves very effectively to spread the Carl’s message – How to Eat a Six Dollar Portobello Mushroom Burger.
If you are thinking of social media or developing your own viral strategy? October 17 Media would be more than happy to help you develop and spread the message!
Tags: Blogging, Online Marketing, Social Media, Viral Marketing, Viral Marketing Videos
