Free (Viral) Advertising, Just Let Go

How many times have you read a magazine in the barber shop, salon? How many times have you tried a restaurant or movie on a friend’s recommendation? While all advertisers like pass-along advertising (the first), they love viral advertising (the second).

The internet didn’t start viral media, but recommendation + transmission ease + multi-media format = impact. Just ask Christopher Nolan director of “The Dark Knight” which clinched the #2 all time box office spot ($518M as of Oct 6, 2008). Putting aside ticket price and box office inflation, how could Dark Night have pulled, in three months, to within 15% of a record it took Titanic nine months to set? Word-of-mouth + powerful trailers + internet distribution.

This is the first post of an ongoing serial about viral marketing, examples and best practices. While future posts will deal with product, price and place aspects of the viral marketing mix and address planned viral marketing (see Nike and Gatorade), our first two illustrate what can happen when the brand owner lets go of promotion. That is, fan-generated viral advertising. Per Isakson, online marketers, particularly brand marketers must let go of their brand incorporating fan-generated content.

“Good” Viral Advertising - Memorable, tongue-in-cheek, interesting back-story. People will spend time on this. Ben Walker will be rewarded, and will develop more, valuable, micro-songwriting content.

“Not So Good” - Over-the-top, tongue -in-cheek, focused on service’s short comings. Ultimately a thinly disguised attempt to increase author’s Twitter and blog impressions.