During the last six months, Warner Bros. has implemented a clever viral marketing campaign for the upcoming summer release The Dark Knight aimed at fans of the
Batman franchise (the film is a sequel to 2005's Batman Begins, which reactivated the series after an eight-year hiatus).
Developed through the company's interactive marketing team led by Don Buckley, a viral program centered around several Web sites--such as whysoserious.com (riffing on a line
uttered by the Kabuki-faced miscreant the Joker in the film to a soon-to-be victim) slowly reveal details of the film, as well as screen shots and rewards for fans who follow
specific clues. (Buckley declined to comment about the viral campaign.)
But what if your company is not an entertainment behemoth like Warner Bros. with access to untold funds, and you want a shot at creating an equally successful viral campaign?
It's a challenge that Erin Humphrey, vice president of Text 100 Public Relations, knows all too well, having worked on the viral component of the "Let's Say Thanks"
campaign with Xerox.
The program, which enabled the public to express its gratitude to military men and women abroad by sending them cards through a Web site, taught Humphrey that sometimes all you
need are good word of mouth and text messaging. The latter played a critical role in the success of the "Let's Say Thanks" program, which yielded more than 1.5 million messages
from the Web site in the first month alone. It also netted significant coverage from such media outlets as Fox News Channel and CNN Headline News.
For those wishing to roll out a viral campaign in which the money may not be as plentiful as what's in the Warner Bros. coffers, here are some best practices to follow:
*Remember that viral is never enough: "While we've seen some viral elements carry a campaign occasionally, rarely can they make it on their own," says Humphrey. "Usually
it's best when it's part of a broader campaign that includes other elements."
*Appeal to people's emotions: The success to any viral marketing campaign is one that makes people feel strongly. "Make them feel and react in a strong way," notes
Humphrey. "Make them laugh; make them feel something. You need to drive an emotional response to make viral [do] what you want it to do."
The key behind the "Let's Say Thanks" viral success was its heartfelt message, coupled with a call to action, which gave people an opportunity to do something they felt good
about. "You need to have some have really strong emotional component in order for people to move it on," Humphrey says.
*Make it easy for people to share the message: "It needs to be something that people not only care about sharing but is easy for them to share," says Humphrey. Don't get
bogged down with complicated attempts at viral marketing. "It's really all about people connecting with their various communities. If it's not easy to do, they won't do it."
*Expect the unexpected: There are no surefire guarantees. In this context, there's no way of knowing if you've got a viral winner. You'll never know unless you try.
*Video does not need to be a big investment: "We're living in an era where videos can be made inexpensively and still tell a big story," says Humphrey. This is an
important factor, especially for those working with a shoestring budget.
*Reach out to bloggers: Blogs can be a very effective way of spreading the word about your campaign. Make sure that when you contact bloggers, your message will be
something that's either relevant to them or something they personally care about.
*Go beyond e-mail: "Consider using widgets or prepare strong messages to contacts via instant messaging," advises Humphrey. [For more on incorporating widgets into your
communications strategies, see PRN 03-17-08, "Ready or Not, Here They Come: An Introduction to Widget-Based PR."]
Also, social networks like Facebook or MySpace can be powerful tools for conveying your message virally.
Ultimately, for viral to work, it all comes back to the power of people's emotions and the ability to affect it so information can be shared with others who are like-minded.
PRN
CONTACT:
Erin Humphrey, [email protected]