Content designed to spread rapidly through online sharing
Viral marketing is a marketing technique that aims to create content or experiences that are so interesting or engaging that people share them with their friends and social networks. This can lead to rapid and widespread brand awareness and growth.
Here are some of the key characteristics of viral marketing:
- Highly shareable: Viral content is designed to be easily shared and spread across social media and other online platforms. This could be because it is funny, heartwarming, surprising, or educational.
- Emotional: Viral content often evokes strong emotions, such as laughter, surprise, or joy. This makes it more likely that people will remember it and share it with others.
- Unique: Viral content is something that people haven't seen before. It stands out from the crowd and captures people's attention.
- Relevant: Viral content is relevant to the target audience. It resonates with their interests and needs.
Here are some examples of successful viral marketing campaigns:
- The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was a social media campaign that raised millions of dollars for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. People were challenged to dump a bucket of ice water over their heads and then nominate others to do the same.
- The Dove Real Beauty Sketches campaign challenged the traditional beauty standards of advertising by showing how women look different without makeup and Photoshop. The campaign was praised for its positive message about body image.
- The Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign used humor and unexpectedness to capture attention and promote Old Spice deodorant. The campaign featured a series of online videos that went viral and helped to revive the brand.