Finding Real Value in Viral Videos

Marketers take note – the Chevy Volt Dance is a bad viral video. The Chevy Volt is potentially GM’s most important new vehicle. But one of their largest social media efforts so far is an ill-conceived dance routine paired with a terrible jingle? GM needs to revisit their creative advertising efforts for the Volt if this is the type of material their team is coming up with.

The Wal-Mart clown, on the other hand, is a good viral video. While it serves as a sharp contrast to Wal-Mart’s recent and relatively tame television spots, this online branding still positions the company as the affordable one-stop shop for families.

The video hits on a few key elements which are often driving factors behind a video’s ability to go ‘viral’ – loosely defined here as ‘viewed by a lot of people on the internet’. It could be described as unexpected, humorous, absurd, but the bottom line is that viewers enjoy watching it and the connection to the Wal-Mart brand is readily available.

Viral has become a strong buzzword in the marketing arena and for good reason: the mission of reaching customers in a social media setting can no longer be considered just a novel venture for many brand strategy managers, but a necessary endeavor. Designing advertisements to become viral videos is one way to accomplish this, but core brand perceptions must still be conveyed within them.

The rise of social media demands an extension and adaption of traditional marketing principles. An effective advertisement can get a lot of views on the internet, but then again so can a cat riding a Roomba vacuum. Don’t let an ill conceived viral video turn your view-count into an artificial indicator of brand strength.

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