One of the most challenging advertising devices is the viral video. After all, you can’t guarantee that a particular clip will spread like wildfire. But there are some figuring it out. As Mr. Cashmore of Mashable reported, Volkswagen is up to something…fun.
Dubbed the fun theory, DDB Stockholm–the agency behind the ad–eloquently fuses charming whimsy with promoting social good. They do so effortlessly. What’s more is they prove their point through the stats: 66% more than normal chose the piano stairs over the escalator. They achieve similar results in another spot called the World’s Deepest Bin (discard your waste and hear it plunge into the depths). In each case, VW is barely present except at the end and no products are even displayed.
The majority of consumers are smart–or at least not blathering idiots. You don’t need a brand plastered all over your content unless the product is a steaming turd. If you have message that will be eaten up by the target, let the message do all the work. Just a simple reminder on the way out whispering, ”hey, we did this and we respect you” will do. They’ll remember. If it’s paired with good content, they will remember.
This brings me to another favorite viral vid of mine. And it’s perhaps one of the best uses of a flash mob to date. This one was done by Oxfam in the UK to generate awareness and promote the importance of maternal/prenatal healthcare, a serious issue in less developed worlds. Pregnant chicks break dancing:
Both of these ads are light on branding but strong on message–and lighthearted. The aforementioned is too vague to extract a formula for viral success, and identifying a formula should not be the goal. Formulas should be left to the mathematicians and scientists. Advertising is an art. And that art should remain creative and novel. However, with that said, there are certain traits needed for a video to go viral.
Clever and humorous advertising resonates well. Everyone knows that. Elements of inspiration and wit also help. But the overriding aspect necessary for a viral video ad is a focus on simplicity. A true viral video is not an integration of Long Tail Theory; the masses should be the focus. As a result, attempts to go viral should be paired down to the lowest common denominator. Now that’s not referring to intelligence. It’s about what can be best consumed by the largest amount of people across diverse demographic groups.
So keep it fun.
On a completely unrelated note, you should check out the band, fun. Yes, that’s spelled lowercase and with the period, except on iTunes conspicuously enough. fun. They deliver on their namesake.
