top of page

Research arc 3

Step II on the Möbius strip of virality: “Infection”(Seeing —> Ads' features —> Reactions —> Social motives)

Nov 20, 2022. By Sierra Zhang.

I. Viral ads (used in viral marketing) show many similarities with real-life viruses

  • They “infect” some persons via specific characteristics. 

  • “Infected” individuals will spread the information to people on their social networks (Petrescu 3). Unlike natural viruses that spread nearly unknowingly, the “infected” individuals choose to share viral ads after being encouraged by specific features they have. 

  • Generally, ads that have distinct appeals and entertainment qualities tend to spread at low cost via people’s social networks (Petrescu 7)

  • “Infecting” and “spreading” make up the “Möbius strip of virality” that I use to describe the process an ad goes viral

[Fig. 1] How viruses work (biologically) (Harvard Museums of Science & Culture).

[Fig. 2] The updated Möbius strip of virality I designed.

  • While there is a true beginning of the strip: the ad provider posts the ad on a platform (also seen as “sharing”), for each repeated cycle, it is hard to tell whether seeing or sharing comes first. 

 

II. The infection process contains three processes: the distinct ad features build emotional connections with the audiences, and under social motives, audiences decide to share. 

  • Conceptual + case study lenses 

[Fig. 3] Steps of infection on the “Möbius strip of virality.” 

  • “The key point of viral campaigns is to make consumers associate the good feeling experienced” with the product even when its negative emotion/controversy type of virality (Petrescu 80) (the product helps in fighting the enemy)

  • The ad features need to be distinct and present uniquely powerful messages (Dobele et al.). Nobody likes to feel like being “used,” so these features must persuade natural reactions. 

  • The unique features may include plot, entertainment & humorous appeals, provocative content, and controversy & negative emotions.  

    • Plot

      • Ads with full plot development tend to receive better views and have more possibility of propagating (Quesenberry et al.).

      • People like ads with humorous appeals and likable content (like babies, animals, and celebrities) (Petrescu 53; Tellis et al.). 

      • Surprising elements will help humor in ads succeed (Petrescu 56, Tellis et al.)

    • Entertainment & humorous appeals (higher chance to be liked and propagated)

      • Less informative arguments and more emotional appeals usually help ads spread (since consumers are more likely to want to share them) (Petrescu 53; Tellis et al.). In my experience, telling a story is better then listing specs, even if the products are rather new.

      • Humor: has a positive impact on attention and recall — viewers are more attentive and remember ad content better, potentially increasing their processing and comprehension of product info, building a positive image of brands and trust of sources (Petrescu 55).

      • Humor also helps reduce the irritated feelings when content is invaded by ads (55)

      • However, humor is highly subjective, so the effect of humor depends on the audience’s understanding.

      • Humor is engaging and entertaining, creating good feelings and positive emotions (56)(the next process).

      • Case: Will It Blend? - iPad. (The “Will It Blend?” episode with the highest views — over 19 million views!) Other case: Old Spice “Smell Like a Man, Man”

        • Uplifting music and colors (Pete’s Party as the soundtrack; red and yellow as the color palette)

        • Unexpected way to fit the iPad in the blender jar and unconventional things to blend (blenders are commonly associated with fruits, not iPads) create surprises (even the way the iPad turns into ashes is also surprising).

        • Facial expression and the tone Tom Dickson (the host) speaks in are very motivating.

        • The “tough pad” joke refers to the naming controversy of the “iPad” (Stone).

[Fig. 4] The “Will It Blend?” Case - colors, unexpected ways, facial expressions, and double entendres (Blendtec’s Will It Blend). 

[Fig. 5] Shake Weight® For Men Infomercial and KFC Chickendales Mother’s Day Performance (KFC; shakeweight).

  • ​

    • Provocative content (like sex and nudity)

      • !! these content needs to be HIGHLY relevant to the ad, the brand, or the context, and they should be appropriate (not poor taste) (Petrescu 58). Otherwise, consumers may be annoyed. 

      • These content attract immediate attention and also longer retention. Therefore, the ad will have better persuasion power (viewers are more focused) (Petrescu 57)

      • Potential of positive responses since they create arousal or excitement (which relates to the second process)

      • When appropriate, they generate positive emotions (58)

      • Sexy content and funny content (mentioned above as “humor”) are usually used together, two-folding the effect (58).

      • Case: Shake Weight® For Men Infomercial (204K views) and KFC Chickendales Mother’s Day Performance (5.8M views). 

  • ​

    • Controversy & negative emotions (like anxiety and anger)

      • Sadness does not work (Petrescu 60).  

      • Identifies important causes to viewers and persuades via intense controversy and negative emotions to fight against the “universal enemies” (61). 

      • Case: Dove Real Beauty Sketches (11M views).

[Fig. 6] The emotional response of 108 Berkeley students on the Dove Real Beauty Sketches ad campaign (Hopelain). 

  • My analysis of all the case studies:

    • An ad does not need to address all features to go viral

    • An ad can even go against some needed characteristics when one feature is very strong (e.g., Dove’s ad is very informational, but it utilizes strong controversy and negative emotions to go viral)

    • However, the ad should avoid significant mistakes that make it disturbing or boring (e.g., improper use of provocative images). 

    • Viral marketing is about touching a vital nerve-point of consumers, to exponentially increase the diffusion potential and the impact of the marketing message (80).

  • ​

    • Emotional connections

      • Higher degrees of “hedonic values” and when viewers think others can enjoy it (positive emotions) (Petrescu 54).

      • Viewers want their social network members to experience the same good feeling to… (related to “community participation,” one of the social motives)

      • (1) brag about the exciting information they have found

      • (2) make individuals around them feel as good (56).

  •  

    • Social motives

      • Reciprocity (for helpful information and emotional support)

        • Consumers believe that information sharing can be used to exchange for other valuable rewards (like affirmation and feedback — social benefits) (Hsieh and Lo)

        • Consumers share the ad content that gives them positive emotions to make people around them feel as good (Petrescu 54-6).

      • Community participation 

        • The core: building a sense of belonging (Hsieh and Lo)

        • A lot of shares increase the number of consumers engaging in the online discussion about one universal topic (the ad)

        • The second core: to have their opinions shared (the viewers want to build their images)

        • For example, people share funny content partly to brag about their ability to find them (Petrescu 56).

        • The third core: to build trust by sharing information

        • If the other members in the network consider the shared ad as reliable, that creates trust along the networks (Hsieh and Lo).

        • The last core: altruistic motivations

        • Show concern and empathy to build interpersonal relationships (Tellis et al.).

      • Consumer-community relationship (mediating effect) (Hsieh and Lo)

        • To look like experts

        • To learn from the content

        • To express their uniqueness (Tellis et al.)

​

III. Resource to be analyzed more and useful for Arc 2:

  • Dobele, Angela, et al. “Why Pass on Viral Messages? Because They Connect Emotionally.” Business Horizons, vol. 50, 2007, pp. 291–304.

  • Quesenberry, Keith A., and Michael K. Coolsen. “Drama Goes Viral: Effects of Story Development on Shares and Views of Online Advertising Videos.” Journal of Interactive Marketing, vol. 48, no. 1, May 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2019.05.001.

​

Research Arc 2 Outlook: Step I on the Möbius strip of virality: Spreading

WORKS CITED

  • Blendtec’s Will It Blend. Will It Blend? - iPad. 2010, https://youtu.be/lAl28d6tbko.

  • Dobele, Angela, et al. “Why Pass on Viral Messages? Because They Connect Emotionally.” Business Horizons, vol. 50, 2007, pp. 291–304.

  • Harvard Museums of Science & Culture. A World of Viruses. https://hmsc.harvard.edu/world-viruses.

  • Hsieh, Yen-Hao, and Ya-Ting Lo. “Understanding Customer Motivation to Share Information in Social Commerce.” Journal of Organizational and End User Computing, vol. 33, no. 6, Dec. 2021, pp. 1–26.

  • Hopelain, Judy. Lecture 1 - Market Scoping.

  • KFC. KFC Chickendales Mother’s Day Performance. 25 Apr. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKFZJU7bvaw.

  • Petrescu, Maria. Viral Marketing and Social Networks. Business Expert Press, 2014.

  • shakeweight. Shake Weight® For Men Infomercial. 20 July 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWtcE52LKgk&t=35s.

  • Stone, Brad. “Apple’s iPad: A Controversial Name.” NDTV, 29 Jan. 2010, https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/apples-ipad-a-controversial-name-409961.

  • Tellis, Gerard J., et al. “What Drives Virality (Sharing) of Online Digital Content? The Critical Role of Information, Emotion, and Brand Prominence.” Journal of Marketing, vol. 83, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 1–20.

  • Quesenberry, Keith A., and Michael K. Coolsen. “Drama Goes Viral: Effects of Story Development on Shares and Views of Online Advertising Videos.” Journal of Interactive Marketing, vol. 48, no. 1, May 2019, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2019.05.001.

bottom of page