Dos and Don'ts of viral marketing

Example of successful online advertising: the Edeka commercial. Viral marketing is more popular than ever in agencies and marketing departments. However, the eco Association of the German Internet Industry warns that not every commercial automatically becomes a hit. The 'Super cool'-spot from Edeka or the First Kiss'-This year alone, the Wren video was a prime example of how extraordinary ideas can achieve a reach and attention that traditional advertising can only dream of. However, distribution is difficult to control: although there is no universal recipe for success for perfect viral marketing, the following points should be borne in mind, as the eco Association explains:Dos:- Knowing the target groupViral marketing primarily reaches a young and social media-savvy audience - the content must be geared towards their needs and habits. Current events such as the 2014 World Cup can also be used, as Pepsi has successfully done. Don't worry: if a viral video becomes a hit on Facebook, Reddit and the like, it will automatically reach the traditional media as a current online phenomenon.- Create emotionsWhether it's laughter, emotion or fright - the commercial must evoke real feelings in the viewer and take them out of their everyday lives for a few minutes. These emotions motivate them to share the video with friends via social media, as in the well-known "First Kiss" video.- Providing surprisesCleverly playing with the expectations of the target group is often the key to success. A good commercial must offer the viewer something they have never seen before. With clever viral marketing and wacky trailers, the US channel SyFy, for example, regularly manages to create far-reaching hype around absurd trash films such as "Sharknado". Don'ts:- Bringing products to the foreWhat works with a lot of self-irony in "Supergeil" can also quickly backfire. Successful viral videos always focus on authenticity - sales pitches and pushiness are an absolute no-go.- Losing sight of the brand messageDespite all the creativity and innovative ideas, the commercial must fit the company and not conflict with the core message. An example: The "Ford Ka's Evil Twin" video series from the UK, which featured macabre humor, spread like wildfire on the Internet a few years ago, but caused Ford a severe loss of image.- Overestimating predictabilityEven in times when ever larger budgets are earmarked for viral marketing, it must be clear that the distribution and effect of the commercials remain difficult to estimate. More effort and more costs do not always result in more success. However, targeted start page placements on YouTube or Facebook ads can often give viral spots the necessary boost.