The Art of Viral

by Carlos Menezes

Too often I feel that we take a limited a view of what defines a successful viral campaign. In designing such an operation the instinctive starting point is in creating something that has been optimised to travel from one inbox to the next, and yet Viral Marketing is so much more dynamic than this.

Not that there’s anything wrong with this approach, but it does neglect certain traits of user behaviour. Instead of designing something that will be passed around like a hot-potato, why not create something that users will want to bring into their lives and personal spaces?

I’m not talking about a radical change in what we define as viral (quite a few brands are already pursuing this route), but I think that a shift in our focus is warranted. Success doesn’t necessarily have to be defined by the amount of views on YouTube, or the number of times that a clip’s passed on via email.

Nowadays some adverts are something of an art-form. High-production costs, stunning visuals, and amazing music make them ornamental expressions that individuals can adorn their blogs with. Not only is their content pleasing, but it lends itself to its environment. Much like a painting hanging from a wall, an attractive YouTube clip can go a distance into branding a blog.

And bloggers take great pride in their digital appearance. Not only that, but where RSS feeds take away from a blog’s unique look and feel, the content is the only differentiating aesthetic factor.

Clips like the Sony commercials, Schweppes Burst and the Levi’s 2007 Collection ad have enjoyed massive success by tapping into this digitally fashion conscious trend.

The adverts mentioned above also go a step beyond being just pretty – they all add a sense of experience; something that demands to be shared. A kind of badge of community / fashion statement that needs to be displayed.

Again, I don’t think that this is a revelation by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that it is an area that’s being vastly underutilised. Too often agencies try to rely on a cheap gimmick in order to ensure maximum spread, while having the clip featured on a single blog can reach an audience of tens of thousands.

Carrying on from using brands as ornaments, I wonder if any have started using digital photo-frames as branding mechanisms. We’ve seen it to some extent with screensavers, but a digital photo-frame occupies a different place in a consumer’s house and mind.

An example from the top of my head would be a relaxing / ambient 20 minute scene of a runner going on his stroll through some amazing scenery for a shoe brand, or some cool aquatic effects done by Valpre. Again, nothing revolutionary, but it’s a way of integrating a brand into consumers’ lives by adding enriching content.

2008/04/22 | permalink | comments (0) | trackbacks (0)

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