Online Viral Marketing:  A Rich Sage Tour of a Few Projects

It’s amazing how the Internet is used by the media to generate buzz.  Sure they were a bit late to the table, but now the mainstream media come up with some outstanding viral video and promotional campaigns that we can all learn from.

I remember the first of these, at least about movies, was about a certain Blair Witch Project.  Remember that from about 10 years ago?  Well, it’s still live on the ‘Net promoting itself.

Now there is another movie working on the viral buzz, and I am sure in the coming days and weeks you’ll hear a lot about it.  I was very interested in it as a Sci-Fi buff.  Upon further investigation I also liked the format of the movie –a bit like a documentary format –an out-of-this-world type of one.

District-9 Movie

So, what special about the promotional campaign?  It’s looks like a lot of the promotional footage makes an interactive experience that leaves you very curious about seeing the full movie.  Heck, it worked for me.  Couple that with an excellent movie, with good special effects and you have a hit!  I’ll let you be the judge about their viral campaign… Here is the website.

As you can see, none of this is easy –generating a viral campaign is pure luck or just takes a huge budget to pull off.

Consider the below campaign by Microsoft Germany that has taken off on the ‘Net like a storm.  It’s the MEGAWOOSH… But, it’s Microsoft, so there is a mistake that I caught in it.  Note that the guy sliding starts HEAD FIRST.

Ok, now that you’ve seen it, I’ll share a bit more details.  Yes, I’ve done this several times until my stomach hurt like hell!  The point is that the sliding is done head first!  At least that is what I see when the guy starts out.  Then note how the guy exists the ramp in the air?  Yes, he exists feet first.  Again, Microsoft needs to do things right the first time.  In this case it missed it again.  Well, you didn’t kill too much time.  If you want to know more about how they did the commercial, just search “megawoosh”.

Now leave it to Google & ONN to create another campaign around a rather “thorny” issue that we have.  Below is the Google Opt Out Village!

Viral marketing is great when you have a hit, but it’s not something that you can count on from the start.  Humor is one of the hardest human characteristics to tap into.  Even harder is the idea to inform a reader just enough to make them curious as ever to go to the next step.

What works, time after time, is full disclosure.  Present the full information so that someone can make an informed decision regarding what they are “in for” or “what they will get” –give them the details about pitfalls and dangers, and then work on gaining the trust and confidence of the reader or viewer to take them to the next step.

Carpe Diem,
Rich Sage