I was just interviewed by The Wall Street Journal today about a Viral Video campaign we did for a client. Apparently, they liked it. They were curious to know what makes a viral video viral. Though one can never truly know for sure, it’s obviously got to be something exceptionally interesting, or exceptionally funny. And, I suppose getting national press in WSJ doesn’t hurt either.

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GET A BUZZ. “Buzz” is anything that gets people “buzzing” and spreading the word about your product. Or, as I like to call it: Word-of-mouth on steroids. It’s the goal of any marketer with a limited budget. Kenneth Cole knows about that. So does The Marble Collegiate Church in NYC.

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Ford recently handed 100 Ford Fiestas to 100 people selected from 4,000 applicants. These “agents” — that’s what Ford calls them — get to use the cars for six months in exchange for completing monthly “missions” with different themes. They’ll share their experiences through YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter accounts Ford created for the campaign.

By turning the marketing over to social networking sites, Ford provides its target audience with content generated by people within that audience. Ford is taking a hands-off approach and telling participants not to hold back their opinions, bolstering the campaign’s credibility.

So, do you think this is a smart marketing strategy? Will it be credible?

By John Follis / Reprinted from TalentZoo.com 3/31/09

You won’t find “el crappo” in Webster’s, but it’s the exact verbiage used when I was emailed this topic and invited to offer my insight. So, here goes.

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In an attempt to create some viral online buzz for the launch of its 2009 1-Series coupe, BMW did something different. They also did something fake.

Via BMW films, they created a fake documentary, with a fake director, around a fake German town filled with fake German people (who even had fake teeth) who were blathering on about a fake celebration (“Rampenfest”) for a giant fake ramp that was supposed to launch (literally) the car to the US. After about 20-minutes of the 35 min video I’d seen enough. And, in that 20 minutes, I don’t recall a word about the car.

If this attempt at viral marketing was targeting ad bloggers like me and ad award show judges, then they hit their mark. (Apparently, it was the darling of the award shows) But I’m not sure how many serious car buyers, over 30, it impressed. I’d be happy to be proven wrong so, if anyone knows, please tell me. Because with a storied heritage of German mechanical perfection, it escapes me as to why BMW would opt for silly gimmickry and fakery to try to sell their newest model.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Leave your comment on the “comment” link below.

Image getting hit on the head by a postcard about going back to church?
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