Marketing Viral: Comedy as a Tool

Comedy is the most compelling tool in a viral marketing plan's aresenal, based on a late 2005 survey on the topic, adminstered by Sharpe Partners, involving 1,071 respondents. Eighty-eight percent of the survey's participants said they forwarded jokes or cartoons. Compare this to the next most well-known kind of forward, news, at fifty six percent. Wow. Comedy wins, no question about it.

 

And let's face it: this is the reality of the circumstances. Individuals are bored at work and share things around to their colleagues and coworkers to make them laugh. And let's be clear- the funny has to really be entertaining. There are viral campaigns that have died once they became launched. Why? Unoriginal, unfunny, generic crud was created. Review Saturday Night Live's current viral video success with "Lazy Sunday." Now Saturday Night Live has a reputation with individuals in the know for being, well, unfunny. Then comes this video. 2.5 million individuals watched it and loved it and passed it around. It was humorous. Seriously humorous. And it most likely woke up a few SNL-haters and made them take a second look at the show they grew up with.

 

And according to the report, roughly 5 percent of the respondents would not share content with a marketing message attached. Five percent. So let's do the math here. People prefer the funny. If a marketing message is attached, few people will refuse to forward the media. Hmmm... Sounds like a clear case for placing your viral marketing spending plan towards some comedy.

 

Let's examine how often these respondents send forwards. Twenty five percent do it daily or almost daily and 63% do it once a week. So if you can get your viral campaign into the hands of those everyday forwarders you're gold.

 

Just imagine all those bored souls sitting at their desks staring into space, wishing they were outdoors. It's a captive audience waiting for some entertainment. They're looking forward for your very own "Lazy Sunday." Get to it!