Where does viral content end up??
A question that often comes up in conversations about web video content. Hopefully this post will shed some light on the subject. We’ll look at some Sound Films work as case studies and couple of interesting projects that are currently circulating out there…
Wikipedia defines ‘Viral Marketing’ as:
“Marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness…It can be word-of-mouth delivered or enhanced by the network effects of the Internet.”
It’s obvious enough that talk of ‘pre-existing social networks‘ and ‘word-of-mouth delivery’ means that the mobility and scope of viral content is very much dependent on human interaction.
The internet has now reached the point of enabling startling video proliferation and interconnectivity. If people like what they see, they will pass it on to their friends, family and colleagues. If they don’t, they won’t.
Viral campaigns now have the ability to target specific audiences who, in turn, can spread the campaign if they like the film. Food brands can reach tens of thousands of people through dozens of online food channels from UKTV’s Good Food Channel to Epicurious. Similarly, clothes brands can target online fashion sites. If a viral delivers, it will get passed on and spread. Major publishing sites and online forums are setting up video platforms as films hold the viewers’ attentions longer than graphic banners and text.
When a digital campaign is successfully seeded there are no limits to the number of social and commercial spheres into which it can find its way. However, before your brand becomes a global pandemic, a campaign built on inspiring, creative, and most importantly, original content is a MUST.
Case Study – Banco Gallego Campaign:
In conjunction with Blur Productions and Spanish agency Contrapundo, Sound Films produced three films for the ‘Friends of Fernando Torres’ Campaign for Banco Gallego in June 2009. It was quite a challenge to make Liverpool look like Spain.
Using Torres helping his real friends through an integrated campaign generated big public affinity for the bank. Also the teaser strategy generated big buzz in media and internet circles. A small campaign with low budget became one of the most talked about of the year..
From advertolog.com:
Results: 300% increase in new funds vs. YAG. 300 Appearances in over 50 different media channels. Mentions in all the banking sector media praising the campaign. 100,000 visits to the deposit account’s website. A ROI in media worth more than 2,000,000€. All of this with an investment amounting to less than 0.1% of the banking sector’s total annual media spend. Clients flocked to the small businesses of Fernando Torres’s friends and the Banco Gallego as well.
Case Study – Oxfam Campaign:
Sound Films won the pitch to create Oxfam’s first campaign regarding climate change and how it affects less developed countries the most.
We worked with BAFTA winning filmmaker Ian Gouldstone to create ‘Face The Music’, an animation set in the style of 90’s computer strategy games.
What started as a UK-based campaign became associated with Oxfam International around the globe and was then supported in 20 countries. As the film gained in popularity, cinemas across the country began to play it. Eventually the film was screened at a number of music festivals, including the main pyramid tent at Glastonbury.
Most recently the film was screened alongside a UNEP’s ’6 Billion Others – Climate Voices’ at the Green Awards Ceremony 2009.
Case Study – ‘Hibernation’:
‘Hibernation’, an multi award-winning short produced by Sound Films also gained attention outside the film circuit as Adobe chose to showcase the film globally as a case study in how their applications are seamlessly integratable in post-production.
http://www.adobe.com/uk/showcase/pdfs/200701_hibernation.pdf
The latest project we worked on was the Fernando Torres Pepsi viral last month. The film is already being host by a number of users of various video communities with hits running up to 200,000 views.
So what else if out there?
New, creative ways to inform, entertain and surprise viewers have taken hold as brands no longer find it necessary to stick to traditional TV campaigns.
Sponsored shorts attached to big-name directors are occuring more and more frequently.
Spike Jonze just directed a 30 minute short for Absolut entitled ‘I’m Here’.
From Absolut.com:
“‘I’m here’, a 30-minute short film; is at the heart of the new ABSOLUT campaign, ‘In An ABSOLUT World, Ordinary Is No Place To Be’. The film premiered at Sundance Film Festival on 21st January 2010…The collaboration between the acclaimed filmmaker and ABSOLUT VODKA reinforces the brand’s pioneering and culture-shaping credentials.”
Ikea have launched a hilarious web drama called ‘The Kitchen Squad’ hosted by Youtube.
“The kitchen squad: a special unit of kitchen experts on a mission to change the face of uninhabitable kitchens forever. If your kitchen has become a nightmare and you just can’t sort it out yourself, you could be getting a visit from the Squad.”
Thanks for reading – do let us know your thoughts, comments etc!
Have a good weekend.
