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Ayden Peele

Viral Marketing: Masterclasses and Mishaps

The new age of online advertising has changed everything. With TikTok and YouTube being at the forefront of how many of us, particularly young people, interact with new products and technology, the way that advertisers have been forced to respond is now far more carefully calculated. In these turbulent marketing times, we at K. Cradley & Co. are here to make sense of it all, so let’s break down the cause of this shift and see if we can better understand and take advantage of it in the future.


Last month, we covered a similar topic, highlighting some of the most spontaneous marketing victories of small businesses that found their way through a sea of competing products. This time, we’ll be dialed in on ways in which companies have capitalized on a consumer craze while also providing a cautionary tale of how minor missteps can lead to dubious disasters.


Viral Marketing at Light Speed

It may feel to many that we’re receiving information faster than ever before, and it’s true! The surplus of information coming through our own devices gives us an unprecedented amount of lights and sounds to deal with at any given time. You may have heard the statistic that Americans are exposed to 5,000 advertisements a day, and while that number may vary, the truth is that there are thousands, if not millions, of advertisers competing for your attention at any given time. The best of the best advertisers, though, are the ones who can act at the drop of a hat.


Stanley’s Strong Steel

Stanley Cups were a big fad in late 2023, a travel mug that originally targeted men, which found a huge boom in success from young women on TikTok. One of its greatest marketing wins, though, was when a woman recorded a TikTok of her car beyond repair after being caught on fire, only to find that her Stanley Cup had not only survived with little to no damage, but the ice inside hadn’t even melted. Now, if that was all to this story, Stanley would at least be regarded as a very impressive product, but following the woman’s TikTok, the president of Stanley released a video of his own, stating that not only would he replace her Stanley Cup, but her car as well. 

Viral Marketing for Stanley Cups

This quick thinking on the part of Stanley’s President was a masterful move. The story itself is already incredible, but adding in an astounding level of charity enabled the brand to receive an incredible amount of free positive media attention, and would make Stanley synonymous with strength and generosity. Sometimes though, a company may jump the gun on a product, only to fall flat on their face.


Humane AI’s Embarrassing Exposure

AI will, and in some ways already has, changed the world. However, some companies have been far too quick to try and capitalize on this early technology. One of those companies was Humane Inc., an AI startup that pushed the Humane AI Pin, a wearable piece of tech that offered AI capabilities in a discrete package. An enticing offer, but not without its faults. The pin was little more than ChatGPT in physical form, and where it may have made sense as a cheap, physical AI tool, the device came at a steep $700. As if it couldn’t get any worse, it also required a monthly subscription of $24 to use it at all, with many pointing out that the device was arguably less discreet than a phone would be and with far less functionality. The review that piled on this scrutiny came from YouTuber MKBHD, one of, if not the most popular tech reviewers on the platform, with 19.5 million subscribers. His scathing review pointed to all the flaws we listed earlier, and with the video amassing millions of views in such a short period of time, the Humane AI Pin was essentially dead on arrival.

Viral Marketing for the Humane AI Pin

Would the pin have survived without such harsh remarks from MKBHD? It’s hard to say, but the defense that Humane gave to the review was embarrassingly weak, with one employee stating, “easy to dogpile - much harder to build” and “What happened to optimism?” which may be understandable if the technology presented wasn’t being pushed at a time when the economic disparity between the middle and upper class was increasingly widening. Not to mention the fact that it isn’t the responsibility of the public to support new products, especially if said product fails to offer any benefit to the consumer. Despite the immature response, Humane Inc. still seems to be trudging along, but it is yet to be seen if they will overcome this stain on their reputation.


Central Houston Nissan’s Ridiculous Recreations

Sometimes the marketing opportunities don’t always come to you, you have to come to them. That’s exactly what one local Nissan dealership decided to do earlier this year, taking wildly eye-catching and dangerous-looking videos and cutting their employees into action to tell you about their great deals at Central Houston Nissan! These hilarious stunts were a really creative way to take advantage of TikTok’s fast-paced algorithm, and while many companies may find it difficult to create content that resonates with younger audiences organically, Central Houston Nissan made it a lot more about being creative and funny than actually worrying about their product.

Viral Marketing for Central Houston Nissan

This strategy of focusing more on style over substance can be seen by many extraordinarily successful companies, and a prime example of its effectiveness is Red Bull. The energy drink giant is probably far more well known for their larger-than-life stunts and events, such as Red Bull Stratos or, particularly, FlugTag, an event about taking flight in crude flying apparatuses to get the most distance. Videos of RedBull’s FlugTag events are a frequent sight on TikTok and YouTube, and while their beverages are almost nowhere in sight, the intrigue of the brand’s stunts, along with their willingness to do incredibly interesting things with their marketing budget, is an unequivocal win for their recognition as a brand, and their overall public perception.


So, what can we take away from all of this? We highlighted many viral marketing stunts, the good and the bad. We’ve learned that quick thinking can sometimes elevate the marketing of a product, but knee-jerk reactions can also spell disaster. We can even see the benefit of forgoing the traditional advertising method and taking a much more abstract approach. Whatever it is, it’s important to understand your audience and cater to how this new age of the internet churns out content. So if you or your business needs help finding a niche marketing strategy, be sure to book your FREE consultation with us at K. Cradley & Co., and we’ll always be happy to help.


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