Branded content and native ads are nothing new, but Upworthy’s announcement of sponsored curation presents an interesting opportunity for cause marketing and social responsibility initiatives. The viral content network is planning Upworthy Collaborations which let brands deliver promoted posts, sponsored content curation around key themes and content consultation. Their first collaboration has been Unilever’s Project Sunlight which has curated a section of articles around sustainability efforts. There will certainly be plenty of eager brands looking for these custom opportunities but how will Upworthy revenue compare with a traditional display model?
Tag: viral
Snickers Runs Search Ads Against Misspellings
Search marketing does not usually lend itself to the most creative executions, but don’t tell Snickers that. The classic candy ran a search campaign against misspelled Google queries as part of their “You’re Not You When Your Hungry” positioning. The playful campaign hinged on the fact that hungry people often make typos and apparently reached 500,000 people that could use a Snickers.
Oreo Blackout Ad Was Only the Beginning
Oreo’s marketing touchdown during the Super Bowl has managed to rock more than just Twitter, and has foreshadowed what may be the future of marketing in general: brands reacting via social media to breaking news to compliment more traditional methods. Every marketing agency in the world that let a collective sigh after the perfect Oreo ad went viral and became a news sensation as much as the blackout that triggered it watched and learned from the example, and examples of the new wave of social advertising are already cropping up. After winter storm Nemo struck the east coast, Starbucks generated targeted posts in areas where local Starbucks stores had been forced to close by weather, offering free coffee. As part of a multi-pronged approach, this sort of reactive marketing is seen as the way of the future, and during major media events of the next year, it is certain brands will be watching and waiting for their Oreo-Blackout moment.
Hasbro Promotes Furby With Record Setter World Record Campaign
The Lab connected Hasbro and Initiative with Record Setter for a campaign that launches this week to promote the new Furby. Some of YouTube’s biggest stars are posting world records with Furby that are at times ridiculous but always awesome. Our favorite is the record for “Most Furbys Driven In A Car” which features Dave Days cheuffering 132 animated robotic toys. The clip has over 75,000 views on YouTube in just two days.
What’s the new face of viral?
It used to be the word “viral” conjured images of a certain precocious prairie dog. Then, Facebook and Burger King caught our attention this year with the fast food chain’s controversial campaign that allowed Facebook users to “defriend” 10 friends in exchange for a Whopper. These kinds of campaigns are bringing new meaning to the word “viral,” but are there safer ways for brands to tap into viral engagement?
Kraft’s Facebook app took a more positive approach than Burger King’s by offering meals to hungry families for every friend a user gets to post their application. Over a two week period in December, over 25,000 users added the app to their profile. However, enaging customers in non-traditional ways doesn’t have to be limited to a Facebook app either. Viral content can take the form of slideshows, images, blogs, and mock websites. Continue reading “What’s the new face of viral?”
