Viral marketing is a tricky beast. Get it right and you can hoodwink millions of people into getting excited about industrial-strength blenders. Get it wrong and you provoke thousands of panicked Americans into demanding that NASA reveals details of the imminent apocalypse.
Everyone wants to crack a good viral these days. Of course, most seem to overlook that the term ‘viral’ should only really be applied to something that has caught the imagination of the online community and rapidly spread, like a virus. If we’re being picky, simply uploading something to YouTube and issuing a press release about it doesn’t constitute the creation of a viral.
To be responsible for a successful viral campaign it’s vital that you do the unexpected and create something original, such as a mini-drama about a teenage boy having his first period. But rather than simply being outrageous or ‘wacky’ for the sake of it, brands need to make sure they’re creating something that will be able to tap into their target market.
Thankfully most marketing agencies understand this by now, and it’s great to work with clients that get it right. Euro RSCG 4D Digital, the digital arm of EHS Brann, for example, recently created a genuinely innovative campaign in support of the launch of the Peugeot 3008 Crossover. The agency could legitimately lay claim to creating something original that also reflected the values of the product it was supporting. The campaign generated discussion in the marketing press because there was clearly a lot of thought behind it.
These values should not just be limited to digital media, however, and are also reflected in more traditional forms of marketing. EHS Brann has strong roots in direct marketing, and looks to incorporate humour and generate discussion wherever possible in offline campaigns.
The agency’s recent work with Foster’s saw risqué Top Trumps-style cards sent out to targeted groups with the sole aim of generating discussion in the pub. If a campaign can do this, whether via YouTube or through something that’s dropped through the letterbox, you know you’re onto a winner.
