One of the most potent viral marketing tools is the video medium through popular video hosting websites such as Youtube and Vimeo. With the merging of popular social media websites such as Facebook and Youtube, a video posted on Youtube can generate over thousands of views in a matter of hours. This is done through the “share” button found at the bottom of the Youtube video, allowing viewers to share interesting videos with their friends on Facebook conveniently with just a simple click of the mouse.
Such a powerful marketing tool is known as the Viral Video Phenomenon. There are many examples of companies and brands gaining recognition and popularity among consumers through the use of a viral advertisement that is uploaded on Youtube. One that struck me was the promotional trailer of the movie “Contagion” in 2011, which involved the making of a promotional stunt carried out in Toronto which involved the collaboration of the makers of the film and microbiologists and immunologists from around the world to create a one-of-a-kind bacteria billboard. The billboard was eventually mounted on a storefront window in Toronto over a five-day period and was part of a pre-launch publicity for “Contagion”.
The video (shown below) shows the making of the promotional event was uploaded on Youtube and eventually turned viral as many started re-posting the video link on their Facebook profiles and Twitter feeds, contributing to the movie’s gross earnings to $23.1 million in the first week of the movie’s launch.
The success of this publicity stunt is a good example of how companies can use the Viral Video Phenomenon to their advantage by creating a one-of-a-kind advertisement that catches the attention of viewers. Of course, one must still remember that content is king. While a video on Youtube has the power to go viral on various social media websites in a matter of hours, one must still ensure that the content of the video closely relates to the company brand or product. One should still keep in mind when using a Youtube video as a marketing tool that one should not make the mistake of making a video only to have the audience remember the aesthetics of the video but not the company’s name or brand.
Great campaign! It always amazes me how creative movie marketing can be even given the vast amount of movies that come out each year. I especially like the Contagion example because it wasn’t just a static billboard – it keeps people interested as the bacteria grows. I would love to be one of the guys who walk by the store everyday to experience the process of it growing to the final product.
I also agree with your comment about brand recall. It always bugs me when I see a cool ad but dont’ remember the brand/product. The worst part is it’s really hard to find the video on Youtube from just the description of the ad.