Five Reasons Why This ad:tech Blog Post Is Primed To “Go Viral”
(1) It includes the very definition of the word “viral.” Moderator Rohit Bhargava (VP Interactive Marketing, Ogilvy PR) opened the standing-room-only session by asking each of the panelists to define “viral” and ... okay, wait, I take that back. Most of the panelists hate the word “viral” (except for the fact that it’s a good hook to bring in business; score one for authenticity). Why? It sets up unrealistic client expectations: “I want my campaign to go viral!” I think Samantha Skey (Executive VP, Strategic Marketing, Alloy Marketing) got it right when she said, “viral has become dumbed-down, a catchall for successful campaigns.” Christian Anthony (Chairman and Co-CEO, Special Ops Media), too: “In a lot of ways, social content is replacing viral, but what’s underlying it is the same: finding ways for people to connect with brands and messages
(2) It’s relevant content to a built-in audience. As Terence Thomas (Manager, Interactive Marketing and Client Serivces, BIA Information Network) noted, relevant content to a built-in audience is an important factor in enabling something to go viral. (You’re interested in viral marketing. Duh. So while you may not find this post particularly educational, it’s nonetheless relevant.) After that, it’s exposing that audience to the thing (done: you’re reading this), then training your audience on how to spread the word (see item number four). And while “viral” is often thought of as an entertainment thing, Edward Sussman (President, Mansueto Digital) wasn’t the only one on the panel to point out that in the B2B world it’s very different. Thomas picked up on the point and summarized it in a pithy way: “It doesn’t have to be flashy or cool, it just has to be relevant.”
(3) It confirms what you know. “Markets are conversations,” said The Cluetrain Manifesto almost a decade ago, and Josh Warner (President, FEED Company) evidently subscribes to that maxim. “Get the conversation going first, then work your brand in there.” Interesting perspective. It effectively minimizes a lot of the “we need to make our logo bigger!” type concerns. So get out there and get some conversations going! (You know you know how.) But, beware in doing so: As Warner also noted, “clients come to us, and they’re often not ready to do what we ask them to do.” Which sometimes can mean pushing the envelope a little too far, as Cartoon Network found out when Aqua Teen Hunger Force Mooninite lights shut down Boston. There was a pregnant pause from the panel when the final questioner brought up this issue. No one seemed to want to address it, but Warner took up the gauntlet, albeit with some level of equivocation: “If you do push the envelope, you’re gonna be close to the edge. You gotta go for it, but without hurting anyone, the brand or the public.”
(4) It has a referral component. See that “email this” link on the bottom? Click it. Send this story to a friend. And if I don’t see a video posted to YouTube by the end of the conference of an ad:tech attendee reading the ad:tech blog, heads are gonna roll! (Though I haven’t yet figured out whose.)
(5) It’s interactive. See that “comments” link down there? Click it. Comment. Tell the world what YOU think creates talkability. Then forward this blog post to all the marketing professionals you know, and let’s see what they have to say. And so on. And so on. Because the bottom line, of viral marketing generally and this session specifically, is while there may be case studies looking backward and a few best practices for going forward, the reality is that we’re all trying to figure out this thing together.
