Viral marketing campaigns can be extremely effective
 Source: Bangkok Post
Viral marketing sounds like what microscopic advertising executives get paid for or an apocalyptic plot device in a summer blockbuster. But viral marketing is not nearly that exotic. It is, however, an extremely effective marketing tool when executed correctly.
A virus replicates by co-opting a normal cell's functions and transforming it into a virus factory. In the same way, a single viral message replicates itself by convincing people to help spread that message. Certain email messages are famous for starting out as a personal email to a few friends who forward that message to people who in turn forward that message until the people reading that message are counted in the millions. Under the right circumstances, the message takes on a sort of virtual life and grows geometrically.
Why did they forward it? Why did so many people participate in the spread of a single message? Because it was entertaining in some way and didn't cost them anything to do it. This ability to co-opt people's desire to share and capitalise on the ease with which information can spread online can have impact unseen in traditional marketing practices.
One of the most impressive examples of viral marketing to hit email boxes in the last few years was Honda's Rube Goldberg-like car commercial, ''Cog''. Although originally shot for TV, the amount of interest the commercial generated online far surpassed its original airing. And that's a good thing, as it took six months of planning and reportedly cost $6 million to produce, not including the airtime charges for its exceptional two-minute length.
After its TV debut, a scaled down version was released into the internet where people e-mailed it to lists of friends until it had multiplied millions of times. This gave Honda a buzz that few brands ever enjoy. The cost beyond the original commercial was virtually nothing.
Hotmail is also famous for having grown to a large extent relying on advertising it placed in all outgoing messages sent by Hotmail users. This technique is multifold. It works by sending advertisements to users who are pre-qualified (they're already using e-mail in some form) and it relies on the implicit endorsement the sender gives by having his or her email address also be from Hotmail. Simple, cost effective and it obviously worked very well.
The techniques used are also becoming more sophisticated and are further taking advantage of available technologies. In 2007, a viral marketing campaign was launched by a Portuguese football club to help drive season ticket sales. On the club's website, a visitor was asked to give his or her mobile phone number before viewing a short video.
The video featured the team's coach making a phone call while the team waits with him in the locker room. The gist of the call was that the team would not be able to play until the user bought a season ticket _ the website viewers actually received this phone call, synchronised with the video and echoing the coach's conversation. The novelty of the video and simultaneous phone call created very strong word of mouth, both online and offline, with more than 200,000 people participating within the first 24 hours.
The creativity of these campaigns is growing daily, like just about everything else online. There are numerous companies offering to develop viral campaigns and various websites available with more information and ideas.
As with most marketing, it's best to work with a professional when developing or executing these campaigns. The chance that the campaign will fizzle out is high, so working with an experience consultant to create a viral campaign is the most sound strategy.
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