Ricky Ricardo would have a field day with social media.
Who'd ever imagine his adorable (if not redundant) home videos of little Ricky waving would actually earn him the adulation he so craved. But did Ricky Jr's baby antics truly have what it takes to go viral in today's unpredictable market?
A Special Recipe
Like a classically trained chef who can coax the most amazing flavors from a turnip, marketing executives are eager to discover the elusive viral recipe to extract greatness from an otherwise ordinary idea. Even the most prestigious advertising companies fail to replicate that ambiguous formula as they feverishly try to anticipate what will lead to the domino effect just a few "share" clicks can create.
Clearly, it's an organic phenomenon that follows no set guidelines, and the more marketers try to force their hand, it seems the more they fail. While Old Spice stumbled upon viral gold by keeping audiences transfixed with an alluring mystery man who effortlessly moved from one venue to another, rolling dice still seems more of a sure bet these days. Digital consultant Chris Smith duly notes:
Tell me something. Have you ever been so enthralled with a commercial that once it was over, you had absolutely no clue what product was being advertised? That's an example of what Andrew Burnett, a successful Scottish social media marketer, identifies as the one common denominator of this viral trend: human emotion. Animals and babies are shoo-ins with the "awww" factor. Always have been, always will be. But unlike Ricky Ricardo's uninspired clips, these particular viral videos are infused with a bit of magic that captures viewers' imagination.
E*Trade built itself a little empire of viral videos with a talking baby who gave viewers investment advice. But it's really the animals who have cornered this particular market with voiceovers that tread pretty heavily on our need to anthropomorphize critters. Patty-Cake Cats and Ultimate Dog Tease are just about the best examples of how humanizing animals is both endearing and viral-worthy (and these are just regular home videos). You'll definitely want to watch the dog several times to catch every subtle nuance of such low-tech genius.
Other people's misfortune and dangerous close calls are high on the ingredient list for viral videos. Take Jonathan Mak Long, for example. What began as a heartfelt tribute to a recently passed technological icon quickly spiraled out of control in a bad way. Viewers who appreciated how Long incorporated Steve Jobs' silhouette in the Apple logo began sharing it; for a brief moment, he happily embraced the accolades. But they soon turned into angry shouts as his design traversed the globe and was spotted by those who knew of a very similar piece created just months earlier by British graphic designer Chris Thornley. The 19-year-old Hong Kong graphic design student was soon forced to apologize and prove his innocence not just to the man he was accused of plagiarizing, but to the entire world as well.
As you may have already figured, there is definitely money to be had for some of those who literally and figuratively trip into their 15 minutes of fame. The shock value of viral videos has spawned a new trend where teens purposely risk life and limb for fast cash. Even morality is sidestepped when people continue filming an accident rather than offering help with the hopes one of many viral sites or exploitive TV programs showcases their gruesome captures.
And last but certainly not least, there is sex, but that's a topic for another day. :)
Where do you see viral trends heading? Have you personally been involved with a successful viral video? Feel free to post a comment and let me know your thoughts.
Who'd ever imagine his adorable (if not redundant) home videos of little Ricky waving would actually earn him the adulation he so craved. But did Ricky Jr's baby antics truly have what it takes to go viral in today's unpredictable market?
A Special Recipe
Like a classically trained chef who can coax the most amazing flavors from a turnip, marketing executives are eager to discover the elusive viral recipe to extract greatness from an otherwise ordinary idea. Even the most prestigious advertising companies fail to replicate that ambiguous formula as they feverishly try to anticipate what will lead to the domino effect just a few "share" clicks can create.
Clearly, it's an organic phenomenon that follows no set guidelines, and the more marketers try to force their hand, it seems the more they fail. While Old Spice stumbled upon viral gold by keeping audiences transfixed with an alluring mystery man who effortlessly moved from one venue to another, rolling dice still seems more of a sure bet these days. Digital consultant Chris Smith duly notes:
The fundamental thing to remember about viral marketing that everyone seems to constantly forget is that it doesn't revolve around brands. It revolves around content.Human Emotion
Tell me something. Have you ever been so enthralled with a commercial that once it was over, you had absolutely no clue what product was being advertised? That's an example of what Andrew Burnett, a successful Scottish social media marketer, identifies as the one common denominator of this viral trend: human emotion. Animals and babies are shoo-ins with the "awww" factor. Always have been, always will be. But unlike Ricky Ricardo's uninspired clips, these particular viral videos are infused with a bit of magic that captures viewers' imagination.
E*Trade built itself a little empire of viral videos with a talking baby who gave viewers investment advice. But it's really the animals who have cornered this particular market with voiceovers that tread pretty heavily on our need to anthropomorphize critters. Patty-Cake Cats and Ultimate Dog Tease are just about the best examples of how humanizing animals is both endearing and viral-worthy (and these are just regular home videos). You'll definitely want to watch the dog several times to catch every subtle nuance of such low-tech genius.
Other people's misfortune and dangerous close calls are high on the ingredient list for viral videos. Take Jonathan Mak Long, for example. What began as a heartfelt tribute to a recently passed technological icon quickly spiraled out of control in a bad way. Viewers who appreciated how Long incorporated Steve Jobs' silhouette in the Apple logo began sharing it; for a brief moment, he happily embraced the accolades. But they soon turned into angry shouts as his design traversed the globe and was spotted by those who knew of a very similar piece created just months earlier by British graphic designer Chris Thornley. The 19-year-old Hong Kong graphic design student was soon forced to apologize and prove his innocence not just to the man he was accused of plagiarizing, but to the entire world as well.
And last but certainly not least, there is sex, but that's a topic for another day. :)
Where do you see viral trends heading? Have you personally been involved with a successful viral video? Feel free to post a comment and let me know your thoughts.
I agree, viral videos are FUN! I have never been involved with a successful video, but I do spend some time enjoying them. The ones that show great talent are amazing, like this father-daughter duo, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64c5vT3NBw&feature=feedlik
ReplyDeleteand of course the shufflin' shopper (don't I wish I could shop like this!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGo6iTebNRU&feature=feedf
I'd love to see more comments and readers' favorite videos! The animal videos are always a winner, like the ones you referenced. I think the advent of social media has really helped proliferate the viral phenomenon - 'word of mouth' or in this case, 'word of text'.
I've never been involved in one but I've posted
ReplyDeleteA few I thought SHOULD have fine viral! I guess as
Long as they are out in the cyber world there
Is always hope! Lisa Y
Did they happen to have any familiar doggies in those videos, Lisa? :)
ReplyDeleteBoy, Jool, that little girl has such emotion when she sings. What an adorable duo. And that shuffler dude takes multi-tasking to a whole new level. This could be a future marketing campaign for some informercial weight loss program. :)
ReplyDelete