Countless thousands of dollars get spent every year on viral advertising, in pursuit of the Holy Grail of one million-plus views on YouTube. But the truth about viral videos and games is that you can’t really plan and design them – you can only create them, release them in the vicinity of a suitable host, and hope it spreads.
A viral ad or video is viral only if it actually goes viral, so be skeptical when someone says they can create one for you.
However, if a video truly is infectious, the results can be spectacular – such as the Hilary Clinton “1984” spoof ad that helped derail her campaign for the US presidential nomination (you can see it here: http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686303_1690903,00.html ).
RayBan also has a whole series of viral videos that do very well, garnering millions of views. And I also recall “Whack-a-Flack” – a highly successful viral game created and released in 2001 to prove a point about viral advertising, and to advertise the services of an ad hoc game creation company.
But the most successful viral creations seem to happen by accident: Susan Boyle… the Evolution of Dance… the “Leave Britney Alone” rant. The problem for viral marketers is that you simply don’t know what, at any moment, is going to pique the curiosity of your target demographic. And I’m not even sure you can measure the effectiveness of an ad that goes viral – at least, not in dollars.
The thing about viral is that it is fun, but the stodgy, direct marketing side of me wonders if advertising is supposed to be fun.
Ah well, there is another form of ‘not-quite-free’ advertising that you can plan and carry out to good effect – if you have the nerve. I’ll tell you about it next time. Meanwhile, think about sudden attacks sprung from hiding.
About Hartland Ross
Hartland Ross is an online marketing strategist, entrepreneur, and founder and president of eBridge Marketing Solutions - an online marketing agency and consulting firm catering to technology companies.
An expert in the principles of marketing, strategy and business development, Hartland began his entrepreneurial career in the building materials industry as a successful franchise owner and operator. He followed this up with a stint in the pulp and paper industry before landing positions with two different internet marketing startups in the online advertising sector. He then took his online success and moved on to become VP of Sales and Marketing for a national training and development company.
Considered a pioneer in the online world, Hartland has been working in the sales and marketing of web based technology companies since 1999. He is well recognized and regarded in the hosting industry and to date has worked with over 150 web hosting companies providing business growth, marketing strategy and industry direction advice and recommendations.
With 15 years of business development experience, plus over 10 years experience in working specifically with technology companies, Hartland is a sought after speaker and online authority who is often interviewed and quoted in various industry related case studies and articles.
Corporate philanthropy is also top of mind for Hartland who believes it's important to give back to his community. Hartland is a past board member of Young Entrepreneurs Association and is an active mentor for Junior Achievement helping our youth become the business leaders of tomorrow.
A graduate of UBC, Hartland holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master degree in Business Administration with a focus on Business Strategy.
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