‘I want you to create an ad that goes viral’. Alright then, sounds simple enough, how hard can it be ey? Just need to get a few MILLION people to voluntarily start sharing something REALLY GOOD that cleverly promotes what we’re selling and gets the WHOLE WORLD talking about us. #Hmmmmm
Truth is, it’s actually rather difficult to get a viral to go ‘proper viral’. Why? Because the most successful ones don’t really start from an agency coming up with a great idea, they’re a totally organic process driven by people that care about the content – and not the companies who want their attention.
They come in all different shapes and sizes: funny, shocking or even just plain random. If an agency can spark a movement in that way then great! If not you’ve most likely just gone and put a big stinking turd in the middle of cyber space for everyone to see.
Skittles tried the whole random tactic back in March 2011 and succeeded (in a way). They’ve managed to get 6,821,323 views to date, but there was little to be said on how well they actually reflected their own brand. For many people (ironically) it made them lose their appetite.
It was the development of technology and the introduction of the internet that changed advertising for good – and in the beginning, many agencies found it difficult to know how to transfer their traditional skills to utilise online in the best way. In many cases that fact still stands today when it comes to virals. As all too often even just the word is used in the wrong context! Because it’s not just posting a funny video up on YouTube and promoting it a bit on Facebook. There’s a whole load of fine balances to find and then juggle. But when an agency nails it, it’s a beautiful thing.
Like this viral for Puma, available for football lovers to send to their loved ones over valentines. Porquoi you say? Because valentine’s day fell on the same day as a big match day, that’s why. Genius, pure & utter genius.
And 2012 seemed to be a year full of Einstein agencies for that matter. In the words of The Beatles -‘It’s (seeming to be) getting better all the time’:
