In class, we talked about the concept of virality, and how there is no set formula to make posts go viral. It is a combination of sending the right message at the right time, your audience, and luck.

In the last couple of days, the Internet- in all its random glory- decided to make a guy named Alex who works at Target into a meme that’s gone viral. It started with this tweet of Alex’s photo:

YOOOOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/eknsxBlx38

— ⠀ (@auscalum) November 2, 2014

People took it and ran with it, and thousands of tweets, likes, and shares later, it’s blown up into a massive meme in less than 12 hours. Below are some examples:

The big question remains, of course: How can Target capitalize on this trend while it’s still hot? They have already announced their support for Alex and reassured everyone that he did not lose his job due to his newfound celebrity.

We heart Alex, too! #alexfromtarget pic.twitter.com/LvA7qc5RfS

— Target (@Target) November 3, 2014

Will McInnes, CMO of Brandwatch, suggests a number of marketing campaigns that Target could execute, including store appearances, “Alex’s picks” for clothing or other items, or even use Alex to show off their corporate culture and HR practices.

In my opinion, Target should definitely be cautious in how they approach a potential #AlexFromTarget marketing campaign, and the way in which they position it. Capitalization on viral opportunities needs to be done in a timely and sensitive manner, and there is potential for the campaign to seriously backfire.

There is only a small window to take advantage of this opportunity of free, organic, 100% grassroots publicity, so it must be done cleverly and quickly before the online frenzy dies down. I feel that taking a lighthearted, humorous, and down-to-earth approach is the best way to do it, and I look forward to seeing what Target does next.