Posted 11.21.08

What makes a good viral ad?

There are several different questions that ad makers can ask themselves when trying to get users to forward their creations across these intertubes. Here are three:

Question #1: Is the ad insightful?

Despite very simple animation, this Motrin ad has garnered more than 160,000 views in just the past few days. Why? Because it knows its audience -- moms and young parents -- and targets them with funny and insightful commentary about their own lives. It's the sort of knowing, self-recognizing ad that people want to share with others, along with a note along the lines of, Isn't this so true?



Question #2: Does it reference something that is already a hit on YouTube?

EA Sports scored when it responded to a fan video that tried to demonstrate a glitch in its Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game. By referencing or responding to a popular video that is already on YouTube, creators and advertisers can leverage a built in, existing audience -- and companies can demonstrate that they are listening to their customers.



Question #3: Does the ad utilize elements that are common among viral videos?

We read somewhere that the reason television and Hollywood studios are in trouble is because, as it turns out, people would rather watch the neighbor's kid fall off a skate board that watch another formulaic sitcom. Some of the most popular videos on YouTube consist almost exclusively of amazing, did-you-see-that live action moments, an element that RayBan utilized for great effect in this ad, which has garnered nearly 4 million views in the year and a half since it was released:



Update: Also be sure to check out the large number of comments that the Motrin ad inspired on YouTube, as well as in the blogosphere. For an online ad, it's inspired a strong reaction, both positive and negative -- which is indicative of its commentary being insightful, rather than insipid. Not all brands are comfortable taking on controversy -- and it's hard to say if Motrin expected the controversy in advance -- but one thing is clear: being interesting elicits interest, especially in viral marketing.

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