LET'S GO VIRAL
One of the best things about advertising is the audacity in our hubris. Everyone’s an expert on everything. A quick scan of the dust jacket of a pointy-headed book and we’ll claim we’ve read it. Ten minutes with TED and we’ve got a PHD. We love our collective genius.
One of the best things about a lockdown is the collective humility of being put in our box by a bug. But rather than dwell on the downside of that, let’s take a look at what we can learn. If you’re looking for an expert at getting noticed, Dr. Covid is a next-level genius.
So what can the bug teach us about ‘viral’ marketing?
1. Keep it simple
It’s communication 101. The simpler your message, the more people will get it. The real virus does this well. It gets in, does its thing and leaves. And if you think back to the crazes, trends and phrases that have taken the world by storm, they’re all super simple. Planking, Ice Baths, Mannequin Challenges and even #MeToo. Simple = catchy.
2. Make it sticky
As a recently qualified professor in epidemiology, I can tell you that the virus du jour is really, very sticky. It hangs around on surfaces for days and jumps from person to person with ease. Its stickiness is its power and it’s a powerful bug.
We can learn from this. It’s where creativity counts. People need to like your work to make it stick. They need to feel something. And it should always be about them, not you. Trying to go viral with a selling message is like trying to catch a plane in a lockdown. It won’t happen.
3. Share it widely
Back in primary school we used to sing this: “Love is like a magic penny, hold it tight and you won’t have any, lend it, spend it, or give it away and you’ll end up having more.” The virus has understood this song.
We can learn from it too. The most powerful fuel to fire up viral comms is generosity. Put it out there. Buy some extra eyeballs. Give your stuff away. The wider you seed your story, the wider it can grow. “Lend it, spend it or give it away and you’ll end up having more.”
4. Hide your secrets
The most powerful thing about the virus of the day is that nobody knows they have it – for at least a week. It keeps itself secret. That means people can spread it without even knowing they are part of its plan. We can learn from this.
The most viral creative work of recent times started out as secret. Nobody knew Ice Buckets were about ALS until way down the path. Fearless Girl achieved her goal of making a global statement well before anyone knew about SSGA. And how famous would Banksy be if everyone knew who he was?
One of the best ways to help your work go viral is to let the work do the work and keep your brand in the background for a bit.
Summing up with success
In the spirit of sharing books we’ve read the back of, Chip and Dan Heath wrote a bright orange one called Made to Stick. They boil down the secrets of viral marketing into the acronym SUCCES. Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, Stories. So if you want your message to spread by itself and stick in people’s minds – that’s a really good place to start.
That’s what I reckon, what do you think?