Viral videos

What are Viral Videos?

Viral videos are videos which are seen and distributed widely across the internet. The term viral refers to their spread which parallels the contagion process for viruses within a given species. The viral spread of videos is facilitated by the "friend-of-a-friend" phenomenon, where one person will pass a video to their friend (or a group of friends), and each person that is passed the video will subsequently pass the video on again to one friend (or a group of friends), and the process repeats itself, creating an exponential distribution and reach of the original video. The phenomenon has lead to an entirely new stream of marketing called Viral Marketing.

It is important to note that this type of phenomenon was not as prevalent, if even possible, before the advent of telecommunications technologies, and has been catalyzed by the internet in particular.

What is Viral Marketing?

Viral marketing is using the phenomenon of friends passing videos to friends through social networks, email, instant messaging and other instantaneous communication media to the advantage of a particular company, brand, product or personna.

Related Concepts

A list of some similar phenomena include:

• Me-too Marketing
• Personal Branding
• Scream Theory
• One-hit Wonders
• The "Wisdom" of Crowds
• Cyberculture
• Cultism
• Groupthink
• Mania
• Dystopia

Who's Used/Benefited From Similar Phenomena?

The following list represents some prime examples of people, companies or brands that benefited from and/or exploited this type of phenomena:

• Elvis
• The Beatles
• The Beach Boys
• Hulkamania/Hulk Hogan
• New Kids on the Block
• Vanilla Ice
• Backstreet Boys
• Eminem
• Ricky Martin
• Enrique Iglesias
• Hard Gay (Japan)

• many, MANY MORE...

Viral-like Cultural Fads

• The Chicken Dance
• The Macarena
• Hippie Movement
• Anti-war rallies and movements
• Disco Fever
• Bboys
• Boy-bands
• Beat boxing
• Battle Rapping
• Flying Spaghetti Monster
• Pirates .vs. Ninjas
• Chuck Norris Jokes
• Scientology
• UFO Conspiracy Theory
• NWO Conspiracy Theory
• Second Life

Viral Ad Campaigns

• Molson's "I am Canadian" extended series, which eventually became one of the brand's key trademarks, started by the classic "Rant" ad
• Budweiser's "Waaaazzzuuup!" series
• Old Spice's "The Man That Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign

Resources

• The Top 5 Reasons Why Your Awesome Content Going Viral? (INFOGRAPHIC): http://www.bloggingpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/6-5-Reasons-Your-Awesome-Content-19.jpg

Tutorials

• What Is a Meme (and How Did They Originate)?: https://www.howtogeek.com/356232/what-is-a-meme/

External Links

• wikipedia: Viral Video
• PopScreen Unveils Viral Video Prediction Tool To The Public, Sort Of : http://www.reelseo.com/popscreen-unviels-viral-video-prediction-tool-public-sort/
• 7 Paths To Viral Video Marketing Success: http://www.reelseo.com/7-paths-viral-video/
• OK Go - How to make a viral video: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/10/22/okgo.viral.video/index.html?iref=NS1
• How to Make Content Go Viral: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/217695
• 5 Secrets to Go Viral With an Infographic: http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140508150810-15077789-5-secrets-to-go-viral-with-an-infographic
• The internet's famous dancing baby from 1996 is getting a new look (as an NFT): https://www.cnn.com/style/article/dancing-baby-meme-nft/index.html

See Also

Content | Advertising | Word Of Mouth | NFT