Great conversation in class today. Blendtec increases sales 600% with a viral marketing campaign? Dave Carroll's life will never be the same.
Crazy.
Now how do you learn crazy? Because as a future entrepreneur with a limited budget (that probably has $200 set aside for marketing) I want to know how to use this apparently learnable (true?) skill.
I have spent some time looking for viral marketing experts on the web. Guess what? They are REALLY hard to find. There are lots of blogs/forums and people who sell books, but not alot of viral marketing companies - people who will do it for you. The only consistent advice/conclusion that runs as a common thread through most advice is that seeding the campaign is critical to its success. I have attached an article that explains how Old Spice seeded their hugely successful campaign (and doubled sales).
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/The-Genius-of-Old-Spices-Viral-Marketing-Campaign-4334
Pretty creative, but not genius.
It is actually pretty frustrating how little is still know about what makes something go viral. CNN had an interview with OK Go, the band that has successfully created many viral videos. The point of the article was to discuss why they have been so successful, but their only suggestion in the entire (and long) article was to 'create interesting content'
ReplyDeleteI agree that interesting content is key, and there is no question seeding helps in going viral, but I also think a big part of it is based on who you are targeting with your content. Certain groups and individuals simply do not share content with friends and family nearly as much as other groups. I hardly ever used to share content with people via the internet, although I have been doing it much more as this class has progressed. I think are a ton of other factors that play into it as well such as timing, the topic of the content, and of course luck. It would be interesting to see some research statistics on internet users and content sharing.
ReplyDeleteAfter further thought and consideration of what Brad mentioned, I am leaning towards 'timing' being the key variable. From basics like piggybacking to more complex situations such as the Galvao campaign. Given that the topic and delivery are approriate and interesting, it comes down to the mood of the viewer. With the holiday season fast approaching, I have a gut feeling that a viral campaign (if not several) will emerge. People are generally in a better mood, have more free time to play, and are involved in several social encounters with friends & family. GET READY!
ReplyDelete