What do you think makes a marketing initiative go viral? Viral marketing is a marketing technique that is intended to trigger a user to perform an act on behalf of the business through word of mouth. Let’ take a look at a viral marketing campaign created by Coca-Cola that launched May 2014.
The purpose of the campaign was to increase sales and it did. Sales actually increased 7% after the launch of the campaign. So what did Coke do that ensured this campaign would go viral? There are FIVE elements of this campaign that contributed to viral success. Here they are:
1) Get to your Know your Audience
Coca-Cola did research to really get to know their audience. The company’s marketing team researched the top 250 names in all countries the campaign was going to launch. As the campaign went on, Coke increased the amount of names on bottles and cans as sales for personalized bottles increased for names not published. They even began to use last names!
2) Research your Target Market
Coca-Cola knew just who to target with this campaign. They knew how to get in front of the right people. “Share a Coke” was meant to target teens and millennials, but the company knew they could reach consumers outside that market. However, they know that teens and millennials are more likely to use social media leading the campaign to go viral. They wanted to reach EVERYONE!
3) Integrate Sharing Capabilities
Coca-Cola created #shareacoke and encouraged consumers to post photos and videos in conjunction with the hashtag on social media. There were more than 500,000 photos and over 2000,000 videos shared on social media by consumers by August 2014 leading to an increase in Facebook followers by 25 million.
4) Connect Emotionally with your Audience
Coca-Cola knew that some names would not be found in stores so they created alternatives to names. People like to feel special. These options were more on a on a personal level. Some alternatives include:
-BFF
-Bestie
-Auntie
-Star
-Soulmate
-Friend
-Dad
-Mom
The list goes on, but all promote on a personal level.
5). Keep it Simple
People like short and sweet. Coca-Cola knew that when creating this campaign. They did not want to overload consumers with mumbo jumbo. It can be overwhelming to see sentences and people will lose interest. “Share a Coke” is short and easy to remember.
Clearly, Coca-Cola knows how to market to consumers and create campaigns intended to reach thousands. Take note of these FIVE elements and use them as lessons learned for your next marketing campaign if going viral is on your agenda.
Set up goals that are realistic, get to know your audience, and connect with them. Make your audience feel something and give them a reason to engage and share.
What are your thoughts about this campaign? Leave your comments below and feel free to subscribe to more blogs!
Social Insight 