Viral Video: No Ten Commandments

Dear Early Light,

I’ve been checking out the YouTube videos that show over one million hits. How do they come up with those ideas? I’d like to know how to make my videos go viral.

PK

Hey PK:

A million viewers? Would that make you happy? What if they watched your video but couldn’t remember your name, your brand, your product or service?

Video on the Internet is a wide-open game right now. There are no thou-shalt and thou-absolutely-shalt-not commandments. Sure, there are certain characteristics that a lot of viral videos share. They are often funny, usually short and show up on every video sharing site on the web. But it’s hard to tap into the taste of a wide audience.  Just count the astounding number of misses the Hollywood studios chalk up each year. Web users have countless choices and every one of their clicks is highly subjective. What makes me laugh might put you to sleep. You might play and replay an eyewitness commentary shot at the street protests in Iraq while I can’t stop watching a choice exchange picked out of the The Daily Show.

Let’s assume you have a brand or a product or service you want to promote. If your goal is viral, how about developing an off-the-wall campaign that’s conceived to engage your audience. We’re talking irresistible here, not pushy. Forget the conventional hard sell; try wit, eccentricity, surprise. Most of all, keep your sites on your long-term goals. Do you want to reach a new demographic? Introduce a new slate of services? Brand your talents with a new signature? Start with your purpose, then get creative.

For an example, take a look at one runaway viral success story, the Will-it-Blend campaign. Blendtec has long manufactured commercial kitchen blenders, but when they decided to expand into the home market, they produced a series of simple videos. The genial CEO, garbed in an official lab coat, demonstrates his blender as it chews up the most unlikely of substances:  golf balls, marbles, even iPhones (over 7 million hits on YouTube). In short, anything tough that’s NOT food. 

It’s a clever parody on the old school hard sell. We have to watch because it’s so bizarre and we have to keep coming back because, well, what will it chew up next? But look deeper. These are classically targeted videos. With humor they show off the blender’s exceptional power to users who probably have never heard of Blendtec, don’t care much about blenders initially, probably already have a perfectly fine blender at home, but who definitely do not have one that chews up iPhones. Which, of course, they MUST HAVE.

In case you think these videos are merely clever, think again. “Online sales of Blendtec blenders have increased five-fold over the company's old record revenue prior to the videos,” say George Wright, Blendtec director of marketing and co-brainchild of the segments.

No one could have guessed the wild success of the Will-in-Blend campaign. There was no how-to guide, no list of do’s and don’ts. So if you’re considering a shot at going viral, remember this little-known company. Without a big marketing budget, Blendtec built a shrewd campaign around their very clear purpose. As a result, the viral spread pulled in more than casual viewers; it secured a large, new customer demographic, generated valuable brand loyalty and earned breakthrough revenues.  Wouldn’t that make you happy?

Send us your favorite viral video. Tell us why you think it works.