What makes brand videos go viral? Can we add ingredients that increase the chances of a brand video going viral, if not guarantee it?

1. VIRAL VIDEO: CAN YOU
PLAN FOR SUCCESS?
@bhatnaturally

2. 2011
‘LET’S MAKE A VIRAL VIDEO’
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3. 2014
‘ L E T ’ S M A K E O U R V I D E O G O V I R A L’
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4. A D S . A C T I V AT I O N .
STUNTS.

5. VOLKSWAGEN, SUPER BOWL 2012

6. GOOGLE SEARCH, ‘REUNION’

7. T N T, ‘ P U S H T O A D D D R A M A’

8. G R E AT A D S . U N U S U A L A C T I V AT I O N .
JAW DROPPING STUNTS.

9. W H AT M A K E S B R A N D
FILMS GO VIRAL?

10. #1 CENTRAL IDEA ROOTED IN A
SIMPLE, SINGLE-MINDED BRAND
PROMISE.

11. V I R G I N AT L A N T I C : E X P E R I E N C E
F I R S T C L A S S T R AV E L

12. #2 EVOKES AN EMOTION:
L A U G H T E R , J O Y, E X H I L A R AT I O N …
TEARS

13. B R I T I S H A I R W AY S G O F U R T H E R T O G E T C L O S E R

14. #3 EFFORTLESS
E N T E R TA I N M E N T

15. • Sometimes when the aim is to ‘make a viral video’ the
effort shows
• An amateurish, forced video is most often the result
• Even when an ‘event’ is planned, a twist is ensured, a
slick video is shot and all the boxes are ticked…
• That magic could still be missing

16. # 4 A T W I S T. A U D A C I O U S
OR OTHERWISE

17. # U P F O R W H AT E V E R

18. #5 LESS BRAND. MORE
E N T E R TA I N M E N T

19. CAN A BRAND FILM BE
ENGINEERED TO GO VIRAL?

20. Image
YOU CAN ADD ALL THE
INGREDIENTS. BUT CANNOT
GUARANTEE SUCCESS.

21. T H E H I N D I C I N E M A PA R A L L E L
• Every major commercial film promotion follows the
same pattern: teaser, music release, an item number,
participation in reality TV shows as the character…
• But even greatly promoted movies flop

22. POINTERS FOR BRANDS

23. 1 . R E L E VA N C E > $ $

24. 2. ARE PEOPLE WHIPPING OUT THEIR
PHONES TO CAPTURE YOUR EVENT?

25. 3. THE ‘UPWORTHY’
H E A D L I N E T E S T.

26. • Sites which focus on showcasing viral content have
their own ‘grammar’
• BuzzFeed’s ’23 great images from…’ to StoryPick’s
‘This shy guy went on stage and what followed will
surprise you’ type headlines

27. 4 . T H E ‘ C H O C H W E E T ’ T R E AT M E N T
H E L P S . ( B U T H E Y, D O N ’ T R E LY O N I T
TOO MUCH).

28. #BESTBUDS

30. 5. GEOGRAPHY IS
H I S T O R Y.
Image

31. • Global audience guaranteed if video goes viral
• The TNT ‘Push for drama’ film was staged in
Belgium; The Fastweb activation was staged in
Milan
• GoPro has fan following in markets they are not
present in
• Even regional or local brands have the scope for
global exposure

32. Image
6 . L E V E L P L AY I N G F I E L D

33. • All brands are treated equal
• David can take on Goliath in an industry
• Brands with little or no budget have a chance to
compete with deep-pocket, big brands

34. 7. SLICK EXECUTION.
G R E AT V I D E O S .

35. 8. SOCIAL MEDIA SHOUTOUTS.
I N T E G R AT I O N .

36. “Nobody reads ads People read what interests
them. Sometimes it is an ad.”
–HOWARD GOSSAGE, AD GURU, 1950

37. • Extrapolate the Howard Gossage statement to 2014
• People read (or engage in) things that interests them:
sometimes it is a Facebook post, a tweet, en email
newsletter, a brand video, an app…
• How can we be interesting to the viewer: key question

38. SO, CAN YOU PLAN FOR SUCCESS
• Don’t set out to make a viral video. Set out to make
honest, great work
• Can learn from & include ingredients of past successes
• But success cannot be guaranteed
• It still calls for some magic

39. @bhatnaturally