So, kiddies.....let's start this blog with a quick definition of viral marketing.
Viral Marketing is a "marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing messages voluntarily."
Knowing this we realize that most entertaining segements of the internet happen to be a form of viral marketing. I think this started back in the day when people would email jokes to one another and then forward them on to many others (remember the catepillar and the french fry from that episode of the Office?). Notice that this was a period of time when sexual harassment policies became more prodominate. That was my fault....sorry.
But this brings up a good point, viral marketing kind of snuck up on us. And in fact it keeps sneaking up on us...that is what makes it so powrful.
The year was 1997...or 1998...possibly later (I don't remember...at Prince's request I partied like it was 1999 for quite a few years), anyway I was sitting in my office staring out the window when I received this video (all your base are belong to us): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItugh-fFgg
Wow...this was funny and weird and I sent it to all my friends...we had a good laugh. A few months later I saw the words "All you base are belong to us" written on the windows of a building in Harvard Square. I was amazed. It had developed a cult following. But I didn't think any deeper than maybe a few nerds (like myself) had a good laugh themselves. But looking back...it made me feel good. I thought I was part of some inside joke. And isn't that the purpose of marketing? I connected with this catch phrase on a level that I didn't even realize. I was hooked...
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3 comments:
It's crazy how some things just catch on like that and so many others don't. It's that whole tipping point thing. Sometimes I look at these examples and cannot figure out for the life of me what it was that made them wildly popular. Are there any characteristics that you know of that are common to the viral success stories?
At a quick glance, I would have to say humor, nostalgia and/or a connection to something you thought was obscure.
Maybe I'm not the one to comment on this because maybe there is a meaning to this video that I just didn't understand (So my point could be completely off). But it's interesting how viral marketing makes NOTHING into SOMETHING. The fact that someone wrote this quote on the window, just shows how much people pay attention to everything that comes their way. It didn't make sense, it wasn't fabulous, people can't relate to it...yet they catch onto it and pass it to others. Now all the people who have read this blog and watched it... and now commenting on it... it makes you wonder- why?
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