Viral Marketing, Dead or Alive?

With the increase in popularity of YouTube, and google video, is viral dead? Was it ever alive? I’ve met a ton of design “gurus” that flaunt the benefits of viral marketing.

My last recall of a successful campaign was the BMW campaigns produced by Snatch director Guy Ritchie. Did i buy a BMW. No. Did i change my attitude towards BMW. Yes. Do I ever want to buy a BMW. Probably not. Unless they can improve their product to look as good as an Audi and cost less. Sorry Fallon, great videos, it won you several Clios; however, It may have not served your client well. Or at least, this strategy might not work in the future.

My point is, it relies on all the trappings of advertisings old methodology, with less control. Web based advertising’s strengths lie in effective targeting of your potential buyers. Viral can never be effective without efficient targeting and tracking. It’s just dollars blowing in the wind.

Where does Google Video and YouTube come in? For once it is an effect warehousing of all the web flotsam that has crossed my desk in the past several years. I no longer recieve viral movies, I receive links to Youtube or Google Video. It may provide a place for viral to live again, but who gets the brand impression then? I’d say the host and not the virus.