When it comes to viral campaigns, it's about more than just numbers with many "zeros" on social media. There is a strategy beyond technique, mere button pressing, and investing in ads. What can be learned from actions that gain public recognition is that any movement by a brand aimed at engaging the audience must touch the heart, so that it is almost instinctive to want to comment and share content.
André Carvalho is the CEO of Tempus Inova and has outlined five lessons he learned from successful marketing campaigns over the years. More than admiring, it is possible to learn from "great goals" like these.
1. Simplicity revolutionizes
It's not always necessary to shower the target audience with confetti and the campaign.Share a Coke"it is proof of that."Replacing the Coca-Cola logo with names was a simple idea, but with a profound impact. He was straightforward and resonated with every person who found the name on the bottle.
Another campaign that exemplifies this is the "Thank you, Mom"from P&G, which honored mothers of Olympic athletes." Without excess, the message valued everyday life. The lesson here is clear: simplicity, when well applied, can be revolutionary.
2. Sell purpose
Viral campaigns don't just sell products; they sell stories. THE"Real Beauty Sketches"Dove, for example, celebrated the true beauty of women and connected the brand to deep feelings of self-esteem and identity.
Brands that bet on emotion as the central pillar of their narrative can create something that goes beyond the purchase – they create a sense of belonging. This goes beyond the relationship with the consumer of a one-time purchase to loyalty.As the great Guimarães Rosa used to say, "what life wants from us is courage." In this context, a brand's courage lies in creating empathy.
3. Not missing the "right moment"
A campaign that goes viral is deeply connected to the moment it is launched, taking into account what is happening at that very instant. Nike demonstrated this with "Acredite em Algo, starring Colin Kaepernick, during a crucial period of discussions about racism and social justice.
4. Focus on people
Among all the trends, the biggest lesson from viral campaigns is that the focus should be on people, not the product. When brands position themselves as agents of transformation, creating authentic human stories, they transcend the role of sellers and become symbols of a revolution.
5. The consumer wants to smile!
In contemporary marketing, excessive seriousness no longer fits, especially when considering the new generation of consumers.The irreverent humor of the campaign ofOld Spice Manshows how to create closeness in a humorous but sensitive way. Another indisputable case of success considering good humor is Red Bull commercials.
The slogan "Red Bull gives you wings" is always accompanied by a metaphor, whether about a person who can move very quickly from one place to another or about a turtle that gains speed by using products. Anyway, the message is so impactful that consumers read the phrase with the same tone of voice as advertisements.
As Rubem Alves would say, "there are schools that are cages and there are schools that are wings." In marketing, the same thing happens: there are brands that imprison and others that, like Red Bull, choose to fly. This decision can determine how the consumer perceives the message: just another advertisement or a communication that will be marked for a lifetime.
