Viral Marketing..

I can still remember the first instance of Viral Markeitng that I was witness to, or at least rememeber. It was during the Super Bowl a few years ago and Budweiser caught lightning in a bottle.

The Budweiser Lizards became a long running, humorous, and informative set of icons for the Budweiser brand. The whole point of the commerical was to create interest in the beer through the humor and cynical rants of the frogs and Louie the Lizard. Bud -- Weis--- Er, we could have been huge!!

That type of marketing, viral, proves a point. The dialog of a commercial doesnt have to contribute to the product being advertised in order to create interest among and consumer population. There simily has to be a hook that causes consumers to stop and investigate further. In this case it was the novelty of the characters and their antics.

I know that instance of Viral Market occured before the YouTube phenomenon, but could you imagine the splash and increased longevity Budweiser could have received from the proliforation of the Budweiser frogs and lizards? A perfect example of what could have happened would have been the "Wasssup" guys a few years later, again from the Super Bowl.

In the end, the practice of Viral Marketing will come down to targeteed and identified cousumer groups that have a relationship with the message or product being promoted or advertised. The content of the promotion will be what grabs the attention of the consumer, but the product itself is what will win the day for the brand. Consumers, much like horses, may be brought to the water, but they may not drink if they have not identified with the body of water.

Thoughts?