Online video creation and viral marketing can certainly put a brand on the map. Over the years, we’ve seen odd foreign companies, tiny undiscovered brands and perhaps otherwise ignored individuals positively explode thanks to a great viral campaign. A new and highly-watched spot for Facebook had us scratching our heads, however. As more money gets sunk into viral advertising by big brands, we’ve started to wonder: Just because it’s a hit on YouTube, does that mean big profit follows?
The short answer is “heck, no!” You think everybody who chuckled at the Old Spice ads rushed out and bought a bottle of the stinky stuff? Yet Old Spice’s viral campaign did manage to put a forgotten company back on the map, which is sometimes even more powerful than huge sales.
Facebook’s new ad, we’re guessing, won’t have the same effect. Entitled “The Things That Connect Us,” an all-knowing voiceover tells us that chairs, door bells, bridges and even the universe are all like Facebook. With nearly a million views in less than a week’s time, the ad is certainly viral. But comparing your product to essential items when it’s already a product under fire for being a pain in the neck seems like a big mistake. We’d even put money down that comedians and SNL are already prepping spoofs of the pretentious spot. Facebook, especially in the viral arena, would do well to lighten up and laugh at itself instead of scaring you into thinking it’s some all-seeing evil being.
When doing our own online videos, we want to make sure our brand is approachable and that our videos are unique. In our opinion, this Facebook ad fails on both counts. But you tell us, dear readers: Is this majorly viral Facebook ad a big deal that will turn into a big leap on the stock market, or is it just a big mistake?
Leave a Reply