One of the topics I had a chance to talk to my social media class (#Freberg13) class about today was on viral content and real time marketing. This is a strategy that many brands, organizations, and individuals engage in to take into consideration the right platform, right message, and at the right time. Jeff Bullas also provides some good points on what to have to make viral content effective for your audiences and provides some good examples here.
Examples of case studies and campaigns are a great way to do this. Of course, there are some that have been iconic and really successful (Oreo during the Super Bowl). But what are some other ways brands can engage with some authentic and creative content to spark emotion and community with their audiences online?
I have highlighted a couple that I wanted to share with you and discuss how each of these were effective.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtyfiPIHsIg[/youtube]
- Taking ordinary information and transforming it in a unique way (entertainment): Virgin America Flight Safety video is the talk of the social media strategy world at the moment. It is entertaining and memorable – really does reflect the overall persona and presence of the Virgin brand as well to connect with an audience in a unique video. However, I would also recommend looking at Air New Zealand’s video with Richard Simmons. Classic!
- Remixing content to be something new (experience): What the Fox says is one of those cases where people take a song and remix the content to their own. They are able to share, create, and create some inspiration for how they interpret this opportunity. People are all over it, even celebrities and other high profile individuals. Look at what “Dancing with the Stars” did with this music.
- Making an impression with people (emotion): One of the things that we see being shared a lot of places on social media are those emotional videos where you feel something after watching it. Whether it is surprise, humor, or happiness – these all make memorable impressions on what people are reacting to, which social media professionals have to be aware of. This baby video has gone viral based on the reaction from the baby to their mother’s singing. However, sparking emotion brings forth a community where we can all talk about what we all experienced, which is the key implementation of the strategy to keep in mind. One example was this viral video reflecting the year of 2012.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYopqtXMSwY[/youtube]
We have to make sure we are aware of the implications and challenges for this particular area within social media strategy for many reasons as PR professionals. There is of course a time and place for viral content and real marketing initiatives – so we have to be aware of the context we are operating in, what our audiences are expecting and what is relevant to them, and how we can implement this strategically to be relevant for our overall mission and values as a company, organization, and individual.
Hope you all are having a great day!
Best Wishes,
Karen
0 Comments