Making the Mundane Viral: A YouTube Experiment
by Bain Smith, Lead Copywriter
Eight months ago the creative team at Red Bricks Media performed an experiment: we wanted to see if we could create a viral video on YouTube. There were a few videos that inspired us:
* OK Go: Here it Goes Again
* Teaspoon Slide Guitar
* My Hands are Bananas
* Tea Partay
It’s easy to see why each of these videos is viral, because they all contain one or more “viral” elements: humor, uniqueness, strangeness, and of course, undeniable talent in the form of musicianship, synchronized dancing, singing, and a well-written script.
So how does one get viral on YouTube without incredible talent, high production value, a great idea, lots of practice, or many thousands of dollars?
Red Bricks Media did it, in a modestly successful way, by creating:
* a catchy, impossible-to-avoid video title
* tags that cast a wide net for content seekers
* arguably controversial (taboo) content
* a video featuring an animal
The headline/title? Dog Attacks Polar Bear.
The tags? Rottweiler, Dog Attack, Polar Bear.
The content? Our own beloved Massimo, demolishing a one-foot high, paper-mache polar bear.
See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1CBXGp9s9Y
What were our measurements for success? They were modest: 100 views a day, and at least 100 comments, over the course of a year.
The results?
143,000+ views in 250 days = ~570 views a day, and 144 comments so far. Success!
We don’t deny—especially considering the recent indictment of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick for dogfighting—that the video can be construed as controversial or taboo, and perhaps this is the main contributor to its viral nature.
In our opinion, however, and being semantic professionals, we believe the most important viral feature of the video is the video title. People are tempted to watch the video because it says, “Dog Attacks Polar Bear”, and they want to see if the video delivers on what the headline promises, because obviously the headline creates a sensational, titillating idea that YouTubers just can’t help but watch. Apparently, people really do want to see a real dog attack a real polar bear.
Addressing the very opinionated comment section and any outlying concerns from our readers, I can only say this: Massimo is the most loving dog you can ever hope to encounter, which is more than I can say for the rabid population of YouTube, whose comments reveal a dark side of anonymous internet chatter.
If any readers still doubt Mossimo’s loving nature, come by the office anytime. He’s definitely got some love for you.
