Reflect on these sentences that you are about to read:
‘Longest yeah boy ever’
‘I dropped my croissant’.
‘yeet’

All of these sentences have one thing in common, for one reason or another, they became viral over the internet with millions and millions of views and likes and have become humorous saying for the younger generation.

The phase viral in relation to marketing is the same as in medicine, something is viral when it spreads through popular culture/ society (in the same way the flu does). If you are looking to become viral yourself or are just curious about how these one off videos became a major cultural trend then read on.

1. Success comes to people/media which possess a “trigger”. A trigger is defined by Berger as ‘something easy to remember’. In relation to our examples, if we drop something, our brains are triggered to think the time that someone dropped their croissant, and we go to say their popular saying to get the laughs of those around us.

2. The next factor is derived on playing on emotion. Commonly any shared emotion that generates a conversation among people can translate to a viral video. Despite all my examples using humour to connect to the population. Viral marketing/videos/photos can also play off other emotions such as anger, love or even fear.

3. Being able to share the video, and thus the experience is essential in everything viral. Without a share function for the general public there is no way a video would be able to gain traction as it cant spread from person to person. In order to be successful, the content should also be able to be seen on a multiple device such as phone and laptops.

4. And the message or content has to be relevant. Going back to my examples it has to be something that the general public can think and laugh at because it hits a bone with them. I am SOOOO CLUMSY, and I drop stuff all the time. When I do I use to say ‘I dropped my croissant’

So to summarise to become viral and get your five seconds of fame (Maybe even more!) I recommend:

• Be Funny (or just connect via emotion)
• Be Relatable
• Use Different Channels
• Create Value and a Trigger Point.

Let me know your thoughts below!