The document explores the role of emotions in making marketing campaigns go viral, highlighting that high-arousal emotions drive sharing, with positive feelings like amusement and surprise being most effective. It mentions that emotional complexity, rather than just positive emotions, is key to engagement, and different demographics react variably to content. A study between men, women, and millennials illustrates these differences in emotional responses, suggesting targeted strategies for various audiences.

1. The Emotions
That Make Marketing
Campaigns Go Viral

2. LOVE
TRUST JOY
ANTICIPATIONANGER
DISGUSTSADNESS
SURPRISEFEAR
acceptance serenity
interestannoyance
boredomepensiveness
distractionapprehension
admiration ecstasy
vigilancerage
loathinggrief
amazementterror
OPTI
MISM
AGRESSIVENESS
CONT
EMP
REMORSE
DISA
PROVAL
AWE
SUBMI
SSION
High-arousal emotions are a key element of viral
campaigns – but some emotions ignite prolific sharing,
while others repel attention.
We partnered with researchers at Vanderbilt University to
find out more about how emotions engage audiences with
online content. What we learned could be key to your next
marketing success.

3. In our study of more than 800 participants, we found that
images that inspired positive feelings earned more initial
views. The top three positive emotions include:
A m u s e m e n t
I n t e r e s t
S u r p r i s e
M o s t V i r a l E m o t i o n s

4. Negative emotions were less likely to appear in highly viral
images. The bottom three negative emotions include:
S h a m e
C o n t e m p t
G u i lt
L e a s t V i r a l E m o t i o n s

5. The key to viral is not simply highlighting positive emotions
and avoiding negative feelings.
Instead, the most-shared content offers complexity and
contrasting emotions.
E m o t i o n a l C o m p l e x i t y
LOL<3
OMG
WTF
YOLO
FAIL
ROFL

6. Our study shows that men, women, and different
generations experience different emotional reactions to
content.
C o n s i d e r t h e A u d i e n c e
sweaty
creepy
share
sadawesome
lol
#likeomghappy
great scary

7. C o n s i d e r t h e A u d i e n c e
Millennials experience fewer joyful,
trust, and surprised emotions
When shown the same images,

8. C o n s i d e r t h e A u d i e n c e
Women report more
emotional complexity, as well as
trust and negative emotions
When shown the same images,

9. C o n s i d e r t h e A u d i e n c e
Men report more joyful
emotions, but less
emotional complexity
When shown the same images,

10. M o r e o n V i r a l E m o t i o n s
See the top 10 positive and negative emotions, more
nuances between audience ages and genders, plus the
biggest challenge in engaging Millennials in our free
whitepaper:
http://research.frac.tl/viral-emotions-research