Go viral: Six examples of awesome branded video content

It’s all about going viral these days. The sheer volume of video content out there is overwhelming and it’s pretty crowded. The range goes from addressing women’s issues with Dove’s 'Real beauty sketches', to astronaut Chris Hadfield’s musical masterpiece "Space Oddity". There’s something for everyone, that’s for sure.

Just a week after Instagram video launched, Vine sharing tanked on Twitter, according to Marketing Land. Does this mean that longer video content works better than a super-speedy six-second clip?  

Video is a fun yet powerful tool for any brand. Visual content is 20 times more likely to be shared, and with most people being more likely to watch a video than read reams of text, it’s important for brands to get creative with it and produce content their customers really covet; not just marketing hyperbole. Today’s consumers crave intelligent content that strikes a chord, content that doesn’t patronise or go for the hard sell. In essence, we are searching for entertainment.

If going viral is the status that every brand wants, which brands are producing really smart content? We've seen super-creative videos online from brands—without the normal TV restrictions to stifle creativity. So what makes for compelling branded content online?

'Will it blend'? Blendtec

This retro-style video from Blendtec is quirky and fun and cleverly engages audiences with a simple idea: whether various random products will stand the test of the Blendtec blender. The video stream is continuously updated, which keeps the content current and fresh. A ‘scientician’ takes various products, such as the Halo 4 game (and headphones) or an iPad, and tests whether the Blendtec can blend them. It’s a uniquely funny idea with the emphasis on the kooky angle, but ultimately sells Blendtec’s sharp blender effectively. At one stage it was getting 700,000 views a week. Watch this clip of the Halo 4 game getting blitzed, ‘eradicating all evil’:

 

Fiat: Sexy People, The Motherhood & The Fatherhood

Cheesy-pop promo or advert? This video shows how the lines between advertising and creative content are blurring due to the increased demand for online content. Part music video, part film, 'Sexy people' features Arianna’s dreamy tones and lots of flesh on show. Without the usual TV restrictions, it also means the content can be feistier and more risqué. And Charlie Sheen is in it:

 

However, Fiat has a history of producing great content with only subtle references to its brand. Fiat focuses more on entertaining and engaging customers than thrusting its brand-name into the headlights. The video content is also much longer than a normal TV advert. 'The Motherhood' & 'The Fatherhood' epitomise the lives of stressed-out parents set to a hip-hop and 80’s soundtrack. It’s no wonder so many people can relate to this.

The Motherhood:

 

The Fatherhood:

 

Space Oddity: Chris Hadfield

This song, powerfully performed by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield—who is a brand in himself—was an instant hit; even David Bowie posted it on his page. Bowie said it is the best version of his song. Hadfield’s sincerity and respect for this piece of musical heritage shines through and it is an excellent example of how such a pensive and cogent piece of video can really reconnect people to something as wonderful as space.

 

The King of viral: Psy and Gangnam-styling

Psy is the undisputed viral King. Gangnam Style was a witty take on life in Seoul’s Beverly Hills. Gentlemen was criticised for being too similar to Gangnam Style, but it still topped the viral charts. What’s the magic formula then? Take a comedic ‘uncle’ singer, an insanely catchy tune, throw in some Korean dancing girls, off-the-chain dance moves and you’re onto a winner. Overplayed and irritating to some, it can’t be denied that Psy’s brand formula is a total success.

Dove: 'Real beauty sketches'

Unilever's Dove 'Real beauty sketches' made a big splash as it used emotive content to show how women today view themselves. Done in a documentary-style, at first glance it does not seem like an advert. It’s only at the end that the subtle branding creeps in. In the advert women describe themselves to an artist behind a screen and he sketches them. Then, other people describe the women to the man. Then the two different pictures do the talking. The results speak volumes about self-confidence and body image, which are pillars of how we view ourselves. It works perfectly to fit in with Dove’s beauty products and campaign for real beauty. It strikes a chord with women the world-over.

The Matrix Man: Just because I love it!

When a modest contestant from Japan quietly made his entrance on America’s Got Talent, Heidi Klum must have wished she wasn’t so quick to make fun of his ‘dance-ish’ style. Kenichi Ebina is a modern day Matrix man who blew the audience and the judges away with his remarkable robotic moves and refined body control. Big whoops, Heidi:

Rachel Everett is partner and director of marketing for White Horse Digital in Singapore.

Viral monsters image copyright 123RF Stock Photos.