How many times have you seen or heard your Creative/Media/PR agency talk or do a new business presentation that included the word viral? Don't get me wrong, I'm not against the concept of 'viral marketing' just the inappropriate use of the term!
It's almost like every new campaign launched this year has a 'viral' element to it. Everyone's going viral!
I overheard a women talking about a viral the other day when walking through Kings Cross. Sure she was a hooker and talking to her pimp and maybe it was about viral in a Herpes context, but either way everyone's talking about doing a 'viral'
Just because your new campaign has a TV ad is on a URL does not make it viral.
No-one cares that your adult incontinence ad is being streamed at nowicanridebikes.com
Viral is not a product, you can't make a viral.
Put simply, its not viral till it goes viral!!
Recently, the Business Sunday program here in Australia had a segment on viral marketing. You can see it here and make your own judgement.
Particularly amusing is the guy presenting 'virals' using a TV and a remote.
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comment from Tobie: The one thing that struck me in that report from what I saw was the video aspect. it's not Video thats a viral. Here's an early, original example the Global Rich list that uses no video at all, and used less almost no than bandwidth to provide it's message.
ps. How successful can a video viral be considering the access problems to a good fast cheap broadband service in oz? (sorry to go on about it...)
