Viral Marketing

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Comment by Earl Weldon on February 19, 2009 at 12:07pm

OK, it's time I joined this group, if for no other reason than to see some conversation get started!! I'm very surprised that this group doesn't have more going on, because I think truly "viral" marketing is what most ad agencies DREAM about and many would literally wet themselves over if they DID come up with an ad campaign that had people REALLY EXCITED and talking.

The really good spots ... the ones people talk about around the office the next day ... are the result of brilliant creative work ... HARD work! Many creative people are not willing to think beyond the first creative idea or maybe two, that dance through their minds. Of course clients kill more than their fair share of ideas, too, out of timidity, budget concerns, etc.

To really think ... to probe, and dig for a great thought or approach that's going to leave people talking is what I call viral marketing. It spreads on its own, like a virus. I've seen it work and so have you, but we don't see it often enough. The old "spicy meatball" commercials for Alka-Seltzer come to mind. And of course Wendy's, "Where's the Beef?" with Clara Peller.

I remember one more that swept through our office once. Someone had called this tobacco company and found that they had this REALLY AWFUL jingle they sang ... kinduva barber shop quartet sound with corny lyrics, but when it ended, the message said, "We don't know about you, but we think our jingle REALLY SUCKS(!) and we're inviting YOU to write and record a better one. Send it to us, and you could be a winner."

Everyone in the office was telling each other to call the number and hear this great message, people were laughing and saying what a good idea it was. I don't know if they picked a winner or who the winner was, but I think THAT was an excellent piece of viral marketing!