Viral Videos are a Marketer's New Dream

Viral videos might be the next best marketing technique. On April 2, Sarah Ang posted on Mashable all the reasons why these viral videos are priceless to companies and organizations. First, viral videos don’t require a time limit, they can go on for as long as the company wants and they don’t have to pay for a time slot. The only expense is in the actual making of the video. Secondly, the videos can be more promiscuous or emotional in any sense of the word. This intensified emotional dynamic creates a better relationship with the audience which makes them more apt to pay attention. Thirdly, the videos go viral because of the viewers, not because the company is pushing them. The viewers can share and embed them in all different interfaces for viewing which helps the company to reach even more people than if they were to rely on TV ads.  Ang also touched on the fact that these videos can take attention away from recent bad publicity which always helps in a company’s image or even liven up instructional/safety instructions like this video from Virgin Air.

There is always the chance that the videos will flop rather than fly, but I think that the risk is worth it. Organic views beat out the best paid views and are more meaningful because the viewer actually wanted to see the video of their own free will. I think that more companies should take advantage of the viral video industry because they have so many more possibilities in regards to the film making. Plus, they also can spread their company image in a more effective way than simply planting their brand name on an image, much like Chipotle did in this heart-tugging short.