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OK, so the Apocalypse never took place. The pending doom never materialized. The prediction of the world’s end turned out to be false, just as the many previous predictions made by the self-proclaimed prophets and revelators of the past. Was this “miscalculation” a huge disappointment? How can we, as marketers, use the phenomenon of social media in Pop Culture to advance our brands?
Now What? The Apocalypse Never Came and all I got were Funny Pics and Vids
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OK, so the Apocalypse never took place. The pending doom never materialized. The prediction of the world’s end turned out to be false, just as the many previous predictions made by the self-proclaimed prophets and revelators of the past. Was this “miscalculation” a huge disappointment?
Actually, I found the whole thing to be funny—hilarious on some counts.
For instance, Saturday’s top trending topic on Twitter was #MyRapturePlaylist. A few of the songs that I thought were the funniest included “Highway to Hell,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and—get this—“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.” Clever!
It's the End of the World… It's The Raptor!
There were Facebook posts about Zombies taking over after the Apocalypse, pictures of a Raptor ending the world (intended to be confused with “The Rapture”), and pictures of clothing draped as if the person was “taken away.” Even entrepreneur and public speaker Peter Shankman posted a pic tongue-in-cheek of a cat sitting on his empty clothes carefully draped on the couch as if the Rapture actually occurred. Adding to the fun, NPR posted an article about supposed abandoned pets after the Rapture and highlighted businesses that will meet that need of caring for them. I suppose that there’s a sucker born every minute.
Before my Christian friends get offended, please know that this article is not intended to be a lesson on Theology* or to make fun of it. It’s merely an observation of the current state of our society in regards to Pop Culture and its view of the false prophecy that took place this past weekend. By understanding the state of our world and the communities within, we as marketing professionals can better reach out to our audiences with messages that entertain, inform and ultimately “stick.”
Today’s consumer is entertainment driven. Their motivation is based on instant gratification and instant entertainment. If it’s funny, they’ll tweet about it and share it on their Facebook page. Many a YouTube video has launched Pop Culture stars like Rebecca Black and Tay Zonday of “Chocolate Rain” fame. The secret to YouTube entertainment success is not a big budget; it’s unique entertainment, even if poorly executed.
So how does this relate to today’s business? Should you get involved in Viral Video? Is it possible to get your business noticed in a din of white noise? Enthusiastically, I say YES! But you better know what you are doing to avoid looking like a cheap used car salesman and damaging your brand.
First, identify your target audience. An association of accountants will need a different message than a group of twenty-something bar hoppers. Second, work with a creative agency (like Brainworm Productions) to help you develop the appropriate message that’s entertaining, informative and contains a call to action. Third, work with the agency and/or a video production company to produce the video that captures the creative concept. Fourth, distribute the video through your social media channels, like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and your website. You don’t need 100 million views to sell your product or service. Only a couple thousand of views in front of the right audience can do the job. Remember, you only need to convert a predetermined number of clients to justify the expense (i.e. two dozen, two hundred, etc.). Most importantly, your video will need to have the required creative elements to make it memorable. We call it a Brainworm™.
While YouTube is the leading the trend in meeting this entertainment demand, there are many other video opportunities. Entertainment sites like Hulu, Netflix and even the major TV and cable networks like NBC, Fox and USA are now streaming programs with sponsorship opportunities.
Whether you’re a local brand or a national one, it is very possible to develop and distribute effective marketing messages through viral video and social media channels to boost your sales, enhance your reputation and grow as a company that embraces the ever-evolving social media model.
At least until 2012—the supposed date of the next Apocalypse. Yeah, right!
Poor dog.
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