72. Word of Mouth: Viral Marketing and Buzz

Word of mouth, also referred to as buzz marketing and viral marketing, is the most desirable type of marketing you can hope to create. Word of mouth marketing has been a tactic savvy marketers have used for years, and the proliferation of digital media has made this tactic a primary component of many marketing programs. As we have discussed throughout this section, marketers are integrating viral marketing into social media, email marketing, and several other programs to generate excitement around a brand, promote a new product, or get publicity.

Viral marketing is facilitated by providing customers with the tools to share emails, videos, and other types of online communications with friends, family, and business colleagues because it is funny, creative, and/or relevant to their interests. The recipients then send the message to others in their network, who in turn send it to others in their network. This can be a highly effective way to create an install base of customers (especially for a software or an Internet company such as AOL or LinkedIn) while also building brand recognition.

Stunts and Pranksters

Unique new forms of word of mouth are being created by consumers. One example is the recent formation of “pranksters” who gather for impromptu stunts and perform what looks like a choreographed spontaneous act. A typical stunt involves 50 or more people who learn online or through social networks about a stunt that will take place in their city. Some of the acts are funny, some are considered art, and some are just weird. In one stunt, a group of young adult twins gathered to create a “human mirror” in a New York subway. The twins sat across from each other on the subway car and mirrored the other twin’s movements.

From a marketer’s perspective, what is so interesting about the stunts is they are often focused around a brand. For example:

• In Manhattan, 80 people dressed in Best Buy uniforms of blue shirts and khakis slacks and descended upon a Best Buy store. The only purpose was to walk around and confuse customers (and of course, the real Best Buy employees).

• In New York, 111 shirtless men walked into an Abercrombie and Fitch store to say they were shopping for a shirt.

• At a Taco Bell restaurant, pranksters posing as both employees and customers went to the restaurant and froze in place.

A video of the Taco Bell stunt was made and used in a viral marketing campaign for the Fruitista Freeze drink and was viewed 500,000 times online. A spokesperson for Taco Bell said, “We thought it was brilliant.”¹ To view a few of the latest videos check out: http://improveverywhere.com/video/.

But most groups form stunts simply want to entertain themselves and have no commercial intent. Stunts are formed loosely by different groups around the world and go by the names Improv Everywhere, San Diego-based Scene Diego, The Urban Prankster Network, Boston-based Banditos Misteriosos, GuerillaLA, and many others.

If marketers can figure out a way to channel the activity of urban pranksters, it is a new way to create exposure for their brand—especially if it’s captured on video, as the Taco Bell video was, so it can be spread virally.

Historical Milestone

For the first time in history, word of mouth and viral marketing was a crucially important element of a political campaign. In the last presidential election candidates from both parties urged Americans to vote and make a difference in the election resulting in the largest voter turnout in 90 years.

The organization MoveOn is an organization comprised of 5 million people who individually fund causes in the areas of education and advocacy on important national and congressional issues. The organization includes MoveOn.org Political Action and MoveOn.org Civic Action.

MoveOn.org Political Action created a message about “getting out to vote” was pure genius. Many of you reading this probably received the video in an email that was forwarded to you by a friend with the subject line “Don’t let your friends lose the election.” It is a streaming video of a news report (from CNNBC) announcing the election has just been won by one vote. The story then unveils the global impact and rage of other voters who discover who the culprit is (drum roll): you.

The person who forwards the video could easily customize the video with names of their personal friends. The sender just entered as many email recipients as they wanted, and in one click, sent a customized video to everyone they selected. The video used the email recipient’s name in newspaper headlines and in captions under various news videos of people around the world expressing outrage about this one nonvoter. The video was a hit because it was creative, hilarious, and the message focused on one point: the importance of everyone voting in this election. It was successful as a viral marketing program because the creators gave people the tools they needed to easily customize a message and send it to their personal network. In the month before the election, the email had been forwarded to 6.3 million people and it was being forwarded to 30 new people per second.

Obama’s successful use of digital marketing earned him the title “Marketer of the Year” from Inc. Magazine. Regardless of your political affiliation you must agree that Obama’s digital marketing team made brilliant use of the new media tools and channels that are available.

Obama’s marketing continues to be impressive post-election. His Web site is a hub of activity to and from which other mediums are directed. It’s continuously updated to keep loyal activists inspired and engaged.

He also communicates regularly through a blog (www.whitehouse.gov) and Twitter. He discusses his perspective on important issues and encourages citizens to take action.

The most impressive take-away from this case study: Who would have thought that marketers would be learning a lesson in marketing from a politician?