DSA Online | New Media Updates

When faced with a new media initiative, I always need to sit down at least once with a client and determine their viral threshold. The viral threshold is my litmus test of whether or not a client can successfully participate and ride a wave of consumer/user driven popularity whether it goes bad or not.

I would argue that most clients are not ready for viral.

My test usually involves 3 steps:

1) Talk about a few case studies where a viral campaign has achieved international success and high interaction rates. Only talk about campaigns that have garnered good hype. This step lets everyone in the room get excited about the tactic and the possibility of…FREE publicity. If people are excited, I carry on to step 2. If someone who makes decision cringes or shares a story of viral gone wrong, I usually abandon viral. While this person has most certainly discovered the power of viral, they are unlikely to see the beneficial path that one might walk to avoid or respond to a negative viral campaign.

2) Talk about a case study where a viral campaign has gone wrong (in that client’s opinion). This is a crucial step because viral is scary. I don’t want to drive campaign decisions by fear, but it should be scary to put ones brand out there in the open for everyone to hack apart; however, the point I am trying to make for anyone who still doesn’t “believe” in the Internet is that it doesn’t matter if they are online or not. Their brand already exists online. In the minds, hearts and homes of billions of faceless users, their brand at any time could be put online and be praised, ripped-apart, photographed, manipulated, made into a verb…etc.  If this thought scares them, they’re unlikely to want to spend any dollars or effort seeding a viral campaign. They’re probably more focused on reaction should it ever happen to them – and that’s fine. There are other ways to get your message out online – just not quite as fast.

3) I usually finish up my viral stress test with a recovery story. I tend to switch it up because there are several great “recovery” stories when it comes to viral. In each one of these stories; however, there is a very obvious champion: honesty. Honesty at the start of the campaign, when a client states that their goal is to start a conversation with their customers. Honesty during the campaign that involves discussion and interaction with their consumer base and not simply ignoring their concerns, feedback and comments should they be negative rather than positive. Honesty about the brand. Viral cannot work without a transparent goal, and if you lie about who you are, what you are or how you do business online, the Web will tear you apart.

This video is an example of a situation that shows the power of the consumer. Whether they are a country music singer, mom with 2 kids or hippy high school student, everyone with a Internet connection now has a voice online. This means that if you want to really succeed in today’s highly visible online world, you better be willing to work harder for those who are continuing to choose your products – because the P2P world is ruthless, quick, and tight. People will always trust a “person” before they will trust a corporation. Now, this fellow could have been a nut with a great voice trying to mess up UA’s brand strength online, but I would counter that the microscope lense that forums use to seek out the validity of online rumor and content is quite magnifying and more often than not, those same people who could take you down will become your strongest ally and supporter (especially if you give them the nod).