Viral Videos - Do they work?

After making the social issues video for class, I thought it would be interesting to do my next blog post on viral videos. So, I was looking around for something to write about when I came across an apparently popular video I must have missed!


The video, which came out sometime this past summer, features a girl who apparently can out catch a pro baseball player. The video -- which was actually an ad for Gatorade -- was so popular it was even picked up on NPR. Click here to listen to a segment done on the video.

I was surprised to learn that the video was part of a marketing/advertising campaign, as the mention of Gatorade was so subtle I hardly even noticed it!! I suppose that is the best type of advertising (because no body likes in your face ads). However, it leaves you wondering if it really made the desired impact.

Then again, Gatorade sure was talked about following the videos release... I'd be interested to see what the impact of the video was. Did anyone else see this and think it was real? Anyone see the ad and actually purchase Gatorade as a result?

Facebook Ads - A Marketer's Dream?

I mentioned in class this past Thursday that I've been using Facebook as a marketing tool for my dad's photography studio. It all started about two or three months ago when he mentioned he'd read an article that said, more or less, if you're in business and you want to continue to be successful, you need a Facebook page. So what did he do? He came to work the next day and has been on my case ever since about keeping his Facebook page (and Fan Page) up and running.

Its somewhat surprising just how easy Facebook makes it for companies to market and target users. One of the original complaints about new technologies such as Facebook was measuring usage (which Camella mentioned in class). However, the first thing I see when I open up the DNP fan page is this screen is this window:
I can easily see who's looking at the page and what they're looking at! It makes my life SO much easier because I don't bother updating features that no one looks at and can zone in on the wants and needs of our fans.

Another topic of Thursday's discussion was the use of Facebook Ads. After class I talked a little bit more with Professor Weisgerber about the use of the social ads. I'll admit its creepy that the ads that appear on my Facebook page are targeted specifically at me, but that's what I get for putting all my interests up online. From a marketing standpoint, though, the ads are AMAZING. For instance, when designing an ad you're prompted with options such as these:

I can zone in on my target market with just a few clicks!! I'm so torn because while I'm annoyed and feel a little intruded on with the social ads, I love being able to use them in the workplace. Has anyone else used Facebook for work purposes? If so, what were your experiences?

Social Media, What is it?

Using my handy dandy RSS reader, I came across this edgy slideshow (pictured below) via Slide Share. I suppose it was the use of profanity in the title that really caught my eye at first. However, after quickly scrolling through it I decided it was a creative and attention grabbing way of explaining Social Media in layman's terms. Kind of like a "Social Media for Dummies" on crack.

What The F**K is Social Media?

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: socialmediamarketing marketing)

Created by Marta Z. Kagan, a social media evangelist and online marketing professional, the slideshow defines social media as "an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio" (slide 2). It is the process of "people having conversations online" (slide 3).

So why should people care? The slideshow states that social networking is more popular than porn and that other forms of advertising are less effective than many believe them to be. Check out all the interesting (and slightly frightening!) statistics on social media participation and advertising.

Kagan also lists some of the many reasons we discussed in class for using social media: transparency, flexibility, consumer-driven, etc. Not to mention, Social Media will only continue to gain ground in the future as technology becomes everyday for everyone.

Using creative graphics and language many students (and young adults) can relate to, Kagan makes a great case for why Social Media is important, what it is, and how to get involved. While many slideshows bore me to tears, I found myself interested in what this show had to say and it really helped continue to explain Social Media and its importance.

What do you guys think of it?